Hurricanes

Rick Angelini in Bel Air think big hurricanes and major snowstorms that once tracked up the Atlantic coast seem scarcer now. He asks: "What causes this type of long-term weather pattern?" Changes in Atlantic and Pacific ocean temperatures shift atmospheric patterns around. So persistent high pressure over the East Coast help fend off hurricanes. Snowstorms slip by too far east or west.

All-American Tyler Hansbrough was listed as probable for North Carolina's next game after suffering a concussion during a victory at Rutgers. The school said yesterday that Hansbrough was able to fly back with the team, but it was unclear whether he would have lingering effects. He went through a light workout and will be examined the next two days before tomorrow night's game against Nicholls State, school spokesman Steve Kirschner said. Hansbrough was injured Sunday night while taking a charge from Earl Pettis with 5:47 left in North Carolina's 93-71 win. Hansbrough hit the back of his head on a television cameraman's knee and the basket support.

MIAMI -- In his mother's embrace 20 minutes after the game, still with a disbelieving look on his face, Penn State wide receiver Chafie Fields said, "That was the biggest catch of my career."No doubt.Fields' 79-yard reception with 1: 41 left, on a pass from Kevin Thompson and a run down the sideline with the Orange Bowl decibel level approaching an airplane landing, gave the No. 3 Nittany Lions a 27-23 win over No. 8 Miami yesterday before 74,427.It also put to rest those doubts that Penn State cannot win a big game on the road.

Unscathed by back-to-back Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd, Ocean City merchants are worried that media sound and fury about disastrous weather in neighboring states could hurt attendance at this weekend's Sunfest -- for 25 years the resort's biggest "shoulder season" event.Last year, the four-day crafts and music festival -- which begins Friday -- drew more than 200,000 visitors, a number that business owners say they would like to see duplicated to help make up for their so-so Labor Day weekend.

The way things have gone the past few years, the University of Miami might start becoming known as a basketball school.While the problems the football team has had on and off the field have been well-documented, the basketball team has quietly become a solid upper-echelon program in the Big East.With road victories this year over St. John's and Syracuse, and a near-upset of then top-ranked Connecticut at home, the Hurricanes have gone where no team in recent school history has ever ventured: into the Top 25."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Someday, Austin Moherman and Steve Bellisari might become a better quarterback tandem than Joe Germaine and Stanley Jackson. Ken-Yon Rambo might prove more a dangerous receiver than David Boston. Ohio State has a track record for replacing great players with even better ones.But this time, it's going to take some time. It didn't happen in yesterday's Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium.The game belonged to Miami, a young team looking to rejoin football's elite. The Hurricanes took a step in that direction by beating Ohio State, 23-12, before 73,037.

William Gray, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Colorado State University and one of the nation's most respected hurricane experts, has predicted that six hurricanes will develop in the Atlantic this season.Of those, he said, two will be "severe" storms, with sustained winds above 111 mph.That is close to the long-term average for the Atlantic basin: 5.8 hurricanes, of which 2.2 qualify as "intense."On Aug. 7, Gray also said, based on his statistical models, that there was a 66 percent chance that one intense hurricane would strike the U.S. Atlantic or Gulf coast between August and November.

Tonight: Hurricanes at Devils. A matchup of two of the Eastern Conference's division leaders. The Hurricanes, winners of two straight, take on the Devils, who have won six of eight.Hurricanes: Kevin Dineen became the franchise's career penalty minutes leader at 1,380 with his five-minute fighting major in the Hurricanes' 5-4 victory over Montreal on Tuesday night.Power play: The Penguins were 0-for-7 in their 4-1 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday night. The Islanders were 1-for-8 in their 5-2 loss at Colorado.

Over the past year, Katrina Johns has had to be something of a basketball chameleon.The Randallstown senior excels as a dominant go-to post player for the Rams, but she also can blend with high-caliber talent on one of the nation's powerhouse Amateur Athletic Union teams, the Chesapeake Hurricanes.Last July, Johns helped the Hurricanes to a second-place finish in the 16-and-under division of the national AAU championships in Spokane, Wash. She played on the Hurricanes with some of Maryland's top high school players, among them Nikki Teasley of St. John's Prospect Hall, Cara Consuegra of Linganore, Shannon Cohen of Mercy, and Rene Hines of Hammond.

Kevin Norris didn't get much beach time in Miami last summer.Between his sophomore and junior seasons with the Hurricanes, Norris decided that he needed to work on his shot -- and his academic transcript. His regimen over two summer sessions consisted of a three-credit course in the morning, another at night, and in between, close to a thousand jumpers and free throws.For his trouble, Norris got 12 credits in the classroom and a stroke that has brought Miami three buzzer-beating wins in the Big East Conference over the past two weeks.

Forecasters have assigned alternating male and females names to hurricanes since 1979. Since then, Dennis Ferguson of Easton asks, "which 'gender' has caused the most damage?" Hurricane 'gender' is meaningless, so damage totals should be evenly distributed. But Katrina's $81 billion tab was three times the next-costliest storm's $26.5 billion (Andrew, 1992), so I suspect she wrecked the curve.

The Weather Blog, The Baltimore Sun's first online Web log, is 5 years old today. Since Sept. 10, 2004, we have posted about 2,500 entries and 2,200 reader comments, and now average 14,500 page views a week. Snowstorms and hurricanes can boost weekly traffic past 100,000. But items on comets, meteors, bright planets and passing satellites often draw the most reader comment. Thanks to all for your support.

Rick Angelini in Bel Air think big hurricanes and major snowstorms that once tracked up the Atlantic coast seem scarcer now. He asks: "What causes this type of long-term weather pattern?" Changes in Atlantic and Pacific ocean temperatures shift atmospheric patterns around. So persistent high pressure over the East Coast help fend off hurricanes. Snowstorms slip by too far east or west.

Dennis Ferguson writes from Easton to ask: "Do hurricanes pull their moisture from the Atlantic? ... If so, where does the salt in the water end up? Does the rain's composition become saltier during hurricane season?" Nope. Hurricanes do draw their energy from evaporation of ocean water. But evaporation leaves the salt behind. Hurricane rain is fresh water, but these storms can blow salt spray far inland, turning leaves brown.

After tropical storm Arthur fizzled, Bertha revved up the Atlantic hurricane season, then came Cristobal, with Dolly not far behind. None of the storms threatened Maryland, but that doesn't mean area homeowners shouldn't be alert and prepared. "We can get pretty much anything here in the Baltimore area," says National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Strong, who forecasts for the Mid-Atlantic region, noting that summer and early fall storms may cause no damage - or wreak havoc. Weather gurus have an idea of what's headed this way, but there's little lead time for predicting thunderstorms and specifics of hurricanes and their ilk. For hurricane activity in the Atlantic, the outlook, issued in May, points to a nearly average to above-normal season - that means a possibility of 12 to 16 named storms, including between six and nine hurricanes, and between two and five major hurricanes.

Donald Gansauer of Canton noticed the record-high number of tornadoes in the U.S. so far this year and wonders: "Is there any correlation between that number and the potential number of Atlantic hurricanes?" No. In 2004, there were a record 1,717 tornadoes reported, but only 15 named Atlantic storms. But it can work the other way. That is, tropical storms can spawn tornadoes and inflate the tally. Three hurricanes in 2004 - Frances, Ivan and Jeanne - added 237 tornado reports to that year's record tornado count.

NO BENCH HELP With freshman swingman Cliff Tucker in uniform but not fully recovered from the flu, the Terps got no points, six rebounds and two turnovers from their bench in 38 minutes. Freshman center Shane Walker made the only solid contribution with three rebounds in 10 minutes. POOR FREE-THROW SHOOTING The Terps, who had been consistently making free throws in recent games, went just 6-for-14 from the foul line, including 2-for-7 in the first half. The Hokies hit 15 of 24 but made enough down the stretch to keep Maryland at bay in the final minutes.

Weather authorities maintain separate annual name lists for hurricanes in the Atlantic basin and the Eastern North Pacific. Bill Rooke of Pasadena imagines an Atlantic hurricane crossing Mexico and emerging in the Pacific and asks, "Would this get a new Pacific name?" In 1996, Tropical Storm Cesar crossed from the Caribbean to the Pacific and became TS Douglas. After that, the rules changed. Now, if a storm maintains tropical storm strength, it keeps its birth name.

Moves Hockey CAPITALS -- Recalled G Brent Johnson from Hershey (AHL). Assigned G Frederic Cassivi to Hershey. HURRICANES -- Placed D Glen Wesley on IR, to Jan. 5. Colleges SOUTHERN MISS -- Named Chris Kapilovic offensive line coach. TENNESSEE -- Named Latrell Scott wide receivers coach. WEST VIRGINIA -- Named Doc Holliday tight ends and fullbacks coach and recruiting coordinator.

All-American Tyler Hansbrough was listed as probable for North Carolina's next game after suffering a concussion during a victory at Rutgers. The school said yesterday that Hansbrough was able to fly back with the team, but it was unclear whether he would have lingering effects. He went through a light workout and will be examined the next two days before tomorrow night's game against Nicholls State, school spokesman Steve Kirschner said. Hansbrough was injured Sunday night while taking a charge from Earl Pettis with 5:47 left in North Carolina's 93-71 win. Hansbrough hit the back of his head on a television cameraman's knee and the basket support.