Hurricane Season Approaching and Mixing Oil and Water May Not Be Bad

We’re rolling into the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane season and Forecasters say if a storm brews in the Gulf of Mexico, where oil continues to spew from the Deepwater Horizon, surprisingly enough it may not be all bad. National Hurricane Center Senior Forecaster, Stacy Stewart says the more aggressive mixing with the oil and water can lead it to degrade much quicker. But on the other hand, what if a man-made disaster combines with a natural disaster? Stewart says the winds from the tropical system could force the oil onto beaches much more quickly— but with heavier wave force, it could also be removed much more quickly. A storm surge would also lead to the oil residue being deposited farther inland than with normal tides. The biggest threat and problem though would be any ongoing effort in mid-ocean to cap the rigm because crews would have to be evacuated. But Stewart says history is on our side. Gulf storms are typically extremely rare in June, and even when they do form, they just don’t usually become hurricanes.

AM 850 Gainesville, Florida