Topic: Hurricane History

The discussion focuses on the tendency of modern media to label every weather event as the "worst ever." While Hurricane Irma is significant, it is noted as the second largest in the Atlantic, not the first. The hosts argue that this hyperbolic framing is designed to drive engagement ("if it bleeds, it leads") rather than provide historical context.

John C. Dvorak presents a historical timeline of major hurricanes hitting New York City to counter claims that Superstorm Sandy was an unprecedented "new normal." He cites the 1821 hurricane, the 1938 "Long Island Express," and several mid-century storms that produced higher storm surges or more rainfall than Sandy. The data is used to argue against the narrative of human-accelerated climate change.