Hurricane Irene was a long-lived tropical cyclone of the 2005 Atlantic
hurricane season. After forming near Cape Verde on August 4, it crossed
the Atlantic, turned northward near Bermuda, and was absorbed by an
extratropical cyclone southeast of Newfoundland. Irene persisted for
14 days as a tropical system, longer than any other storm of the
2005 season. It was the ninth named storm and fourth hurricane of what
became the most active Atlantic hurricane season since record-keeping
began. Irene proved to be a difficult storm to forecast due to
oscillations in strength. After almost dissipating on August 10, it
peaked as a Category 2 hurricane on August 16. Because of uncertainty in
predicting the storm's track, there were initial fears of a landfall in
the United States, but Irene never approached land and caused no
recorded damage. One person died in Long Beach, New York, from swells up
to 8 feet (2.4 m) and strong rip currents.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irene_%282005%29>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1918:
Polish troops and civilians began a three-day pogrom against
Jews and Christians in Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lw%C3%B3w_pogrom_%281918%29>
1922:
Rebecca Latimer Felton became the first woman to serve in the
United States Senate, albeit for only one day.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Latimer_Felton>
1977:
"God Defend New Zealand" (audio featured) became New Zealand's
second national anthem, on equal standing with "God Save the Queen",
which had been the traditional anthem since 1840.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Defend_New_Zealand>
2012:
A remote-controlled bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv, Israel,
injuring at least 28 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Tel_Aviv_bus_bombing>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
remora:
1. Any of various elongate fish from the family Echeneidae, the dorsal
fin of which is in the form of a suction disc that can take a firm hold
against the skin of larger marine animals.
2. (heraldry) A serpent.
3. (obsolete) A delay; a hindrance, an obstacle.
4. (obsolete, surgery) A surgical instrument, intended to retain parts
in their places.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/remora>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
All mortals are equal; it is not their birth, But virtue itself
that makes the difference.
--Voltaire
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Voltaire>
Show replies by thread