Uncovering prehistoric hurricane activity - Examination of the geological record reveals some surprising long-term trends

As a resident of hurricane-prone Louisiana, I was not particularly surprised as I watched the fence in my backyard being blown down when Katrina made landfall near New Orleans on August 29, 2005. (It was the second time this had happened in 13 years, my first fence having been toppled during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.) The wind speed in Baton Rouge, where I lived, was actually not that high, equivalent to that of a Category-1 hurricane. I reported the damage to my insurance company, and I was promptly compensated-no questions asked.