Welcome to the hurricane season of 2006!

Happy New Year, everyone, and welcome the hurricane season of 2006! Last year's hurricane season went from A to Z--Arlene to Zeta--but this year's hurricane season will be the first to go from Z to A, at least at the start. We start the hurricane season of 2006 with Tropical Storm Zeta, and the next storm of the year will be called Alberto. If 2006 is like 1914, that will be all--hurricane season will end after just one storm, and the season will truly go from Z to A. Another, more likely way for the season to go from Z to A, is for the season to pass all the way through the alphabet again, recyling the Greek name Alpha by the end of the year.

Zeta has been holding on against persistent wind shear today, and appears likely to hang around at least another day or two as it slowly drifts westward over the open Atlantic. By Wednesday, if Zeta is still around, a strong trough of low pressure moving off of the U.S. coast should be able to recurve Zeta to the north and destroy the storm.

Jeff Masters