DURING THE KATRINA AFTERMATH, Spain's Interior minister stupidly said that his country was better prepared for disasters than the US, which is not only highly unlikely if a similar area of Spain was flooded (see this post with a graphic in a Spanish blog), but it blatantly false considering there's a kind of national crisis every winter when millions are left stranded in the roadways for a couple of days after a few snowflakes which would be a nice mild winter day in Minnesota or Colorado.

Anyway, let's hope the Interior minister doesn't have to prove the world that he's right, though it looks as if he may have to:

Despite encountering cool ocean temperatures, Vince has strengthened to a hurricane as he moves off the coast of Africa. I am very surprised that Vince developed in this section of the Atlantic as ocean temperatures are only 23-25 degrees C. Typically surface temperatures of at least 26 degrees C are needed for tropical development. However, one quick look at Vince and it is clear that he is now a hurricane. You can notice Portugal in the upper-right corner and Africa in the lower-right.

Vince is the first tropical cyclone and hurricane in the Atlantic to ever bear a 'V' name. Right now 2005 is the second busiest tropical season on record and is well poised to break the all-time record. What may surprise people the most is Vince's likely destination. I think word got out that Europe is very nice this time of year.

The computer models seem to be in very clear agreement of a landfall on the Iberian Peninsula in a couple days. However, he is not very likely to be a hurricane at that time. A cold front moving across the Atlantic will likely combine with Vince and create a very interesting hybrid storm.

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