Gaston upgraded to a hurricane...

No, I'm not living in the past, but post-analysis of radar and surface
observations of Tropical Storm Gaston indicate that indeed it was a 65kt
hurricane just prior to landfall in SC on 29 August.  This brings the
season up to 9 hurricanes -- 6 of which made it to CAT3 or higher.
I attached a radar image of Gaston at landfall.

With this, 2004 has just become the most active season in the Atlantic
since 1900, in terms of NTC (Net Tropical Cyclone activity).  This
quantity is a function of numbers of storms and longevity of them.  The
percentages are relative to a climatological average season (100%).

2004: 230.8%
1950: 229.6%
1926: 228.6%
1995: 221.9%
1933: 216.5%

As I've done for the past 8 years, I'll be sending out a season summary
when the season is officially over in 12 days.  There are certainly
plenty of interesting and record-setting characteristics of 2004.

Please visit my tropical Atlantic headquarters.