A New CD Plays Cyclones Of 2003

NU Online News Service, May 7, 12:54p.m. EDT?Risky-weather watchers can get a free CD-ROMshowing them the progress of some of the worst weather events oflast year.[@@]

The 2003 Tropical Cyclone Season Report on aninteractive disc is being provided by the reinsurance intermediaryweather team of Benfield in London.

Benfield said the report has a fully animated commentary andinteractive catalogue of the 2003 tropical cyclone season in theAtlantic, Northwest and Northeast Pacific regions.

The interactive CD-ROM includes animations of every tropicalcyclone event, with a running commentary on the effects including,meteorological, damage and financial loss information, Benfieldsaid.

Benfield added that the disc also includes a number ofadditional features to view and print individual cyclone summaryreports, as well as regional reports on forecasts, climatology,landfall and financial damage/loss for each territory.

John Moore, head of the Natural Hazards team at Benfield, saidthe unit's report enables the user to visualise the paths taken byevery tropical cyclone that occurred in the Northern Hemisphereduring 2003. "Once in their chosen territory, the user can studythe cyclone of their choice and print individual cyclone summariesand regional reports," he said.

Tropical cyclone activity during 2003 was slightly above thelong-term average in the Atlantic and Northwest Pacific, while theNortheast Pacific region experienced activity below the long termaverage, the company said.

Copies of the interactive CD-ROM are available from the NaturalHazards team at Benfield by contacting Sarah Winter on 020 75223816 or [email protected].