The predictions for this hurricane season have been made. Find out if you are prepared and see how the biggest storms in history compare with what may be ahead. Discover how Earth is battered from the sky by hurricanes, tornadoes and cyclones as volcanoes and earthquakes rumble from below.
Natural disasters are just that - natural.
But their destruction has a profound impact on humans and where they live. A leading researcher is changing his hurricane forecast for the Atlantic, saying it will be more intense than he predicted in April thanks to cool Pacific temperatures and heavy rains in West Africa. Colorado State University professor William Gray released his updated predictions Thursday, boosting the number of named storms to 12 from 10, the number of hurricanes to seven from six and the number of intense hurricanes to three from two. Gray, a professor of atmospheric science, said he also believes there is a greater possibility hurricanes will hit land on the East Coast this year. El Nino produces strong upper winds that move across the Atlantic and rip the tops off forming storms, Gray said.