Veracity of hurricane climate record???

Published by: jack 2010-03-15

Bush Adviser Weighs In on Climate and Health - Dot Earth Blog ::
Oct 26, 2007 focuses on the link between hurricane intensity and climate change – an issue about The track record of the Bush Administration is 100%. . deliver any “information”, I immediately doubt the truth and veracity.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/bush-science-adviser-weighs-in-on-climate-and-health/HOME

I'm currently doing an analysis of the official NHC database of hurricane tracks from 1851 -2004.

Peak Oil Review -- April 23, 2007 | Energy Bulletin::
The urge to grow trumps the specter of damage from climate change until major shortages of fossil fuels the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be very active. In this role its track record has been absolutely abysmal. the structural integrity of key pipelines, and the veracity of OPEC's communiqués.
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/29094HOME

I'm trying to nail down (roughly) a year from which time we can have more confidence in. For example, "we can have greater confidence in historical hurricane tracks and intensity data from 1970 - 2004 than from 1960 - 2004".

I was thinking of using the year satellite observations came into play as a starting point. I'm not sure as to the exact date when satellites began capturing images of hurricanes but I know Ive seen shots of Camille in '69. Surely the military had satellites in play much before this.

"Candidates Mine Global Warming Votes" by Patrick J. Michaels ::
both on policy and in the veracity of their responses. That's 48 chances in a year that a given month will be record warm, cold, wet or dry. According to the United Nations, hurricane severity is decreasing for the storms that Climate of Extremes: Global Warming Science They Don't Want You to Know
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=4475HOME

Does anyone else have any suggestions as to what year track and intensity skill began to improve greatly because of "x"?

Thanks!

Not quite in the Atlantic basin:

1960 TIROS I, the first experimental weather satellite, is launched and promptly discovers an undetected tropical cyclone near New Zealand.

Info is from the FAQ Tropical Cyclone page:
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/J6.html

Pat

P.S. I found an ESRI shapefile of ALL (known) Atlantic basin hurricane tracks from 1851 -2004 with date, wind speed, name etc. information. If anyone is interested in this for GIS anlaysis let me know and I'll send it to you.

Thanks. I'm thinking of going with 1944 as a starting year for "better" tracking/intensity obs. That was the year hurricane reconnaissance missions were initiated.

1944 The Great Atlantic hurricane sweeps up the eastern seaboard and causes 390 casualties, mostly at sea. This is the first hurricane with scheduled aircraft reconnaissance and the first radar depiction of a hurricane eye and spiral rainbands.