It ends with a whimper: The 2006 hurricane season concludes today with nary a single hurricane making landfall, a feat not repeated since 2001 and only the 11th time on record. Most forecasters offered explanations on why their forecasts fell short since most predicted an above-average hurricane season last spring; at the same time, they’re reminding residents that 2007 could see a reemergence of the destructive storms. “This year was a break, not a shift,” says research meteorologist Stanley Goldenberg with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “We still see all the oceanic and atmospheric signals that we’re in an above-average era. But, even in an active cycle, you have slow years.” Still, even with skyrocketing insurance costs and the possibility that next year could be worse, most Floridians breathe a sigh of relief today.
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