Hurricanehink wrote:Noting should be changed, IMO. Charley hit in the area of the hurricane warning. Sure, it was supposed to go further north, but it doesn't change that the people of Punta Gorda should have been prepared. Hurricane forecasting is a still inexact science, and the public should realize that hurricanes have large wind fields.
Which is exactly why the line should be removed and replaced with the circles - which would be more indicitave of the large windfield. Because the "line" with Charley indicated a more northern landfall, folks further south (i.e., Punta Gorda) may have reacted less than appropriate - even though they were well within the warned area.
I agree - many of those with "limited" knowledge probably do perceive tropical systems as a "point" on a map. At least that may be their perception until they find themselves smack dab in the NE quadrant of a storm who's "line" may be depicted many miles away from their exact location.
Using the circles - sans the line - I believe the general public may be more inclined to react in a manner more appropriate for the threat.
If we're going to agree that the general public is not "educated" about these storms, their tracks, and their windfields, then that's all the more reason to eliminate the line.
