Forecasting difficulties during the 1999 hurricane season

The hurricane season of 1999, up to 2 November, was characterized by the above normal number of named tropical cyclones and intense hurricanes. The yearly average is ten tropical storms of which six become hurricanes. Because many tropical cyclones affected land areas of the Atlantic basin numerous watches and warning were required. This represented a challenge to hurricane specialists not only with the forecast but also with the warning coordination efforts. Examples of these cases will be discussed.