No doubt there have been improvements since 1948 all up and down the line. For one thing, the scope of weather reporting has widened. Air reconnaissance is better. The planes that gathered the data have longer ranges. They are more expertly manned.
International communication is faster.
But hurricanes still rage. Mr. Mowat has a fine command of simultaneity. He shows us how the battered Josephine was faring at the same time that other ships in the area were trying to save her crew. He quotes the messages about her that were received, not received, or intercepted. He takes us from the shark-infested waters to shipping directors' offices.