There's more than meets the eye when it comes to the politics of hurricanes. Two names were so controversial in 2001 that they caused an uproar and were immediately removed from the list. Another infamous storm nearly caused a brawl among meteorologists.

The eastern Pacific's Hurricane Amanda exploded into an intense category 4 hurricane last night with winds of 155 MPH. The storm's strength makes it the most intense hurricane ever recorded during the month of May in the eastern Pacific. Thankfully, Amanda poses no threat to land.

Forecasters are starting to release their forecasts for the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, and thanks in part to a predicted El Niño, the results are not surprising. The predictions may spell good news for wary coastal residents.

Tropical Cyclone Ita made landfall a few hundred miles north of Cairns on the northeastern coast of Australia around 10PM local time (8AM today in New York). Ita made landfall as a category 4 cyclone — down from a maximum strength of 155 MPH yesterday.

Tropical Cyclone Hellen is on track to slam the island nation of Madagascar with the fury equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane and a potential 23-foot storm surge. Hellen's winds are predicted to reach 160 MPH shortly before it makes landfall within the next 24 to 36 hours on the northwestern coast of Madagascar, which is located one or two hundred miles off the southeastern coast of the African continent.

In a re-analysis of one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) downgraded Hurricane Camille's winds at landfall from 190 MPH to 175 MPH. This adjustment knocks 1969's Camille from its spot as the strongest landfalling hurricane in the country to the second most powerful hurricane to hit the country.