Pat Robertson is the new Jean Dixon

From the Associated Press:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Rev. Pat Robertson says God has told him that storms and possibly a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year.

The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network has told viewers of "The 700 Club" that the revelations came to him during his annual personal prayer retreat in January.

"If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms," Robertson said May 8.

He added specifics in Wednesday's show.

"There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest," he said.

Since the probability of hurricanes has already been predicted by William Gray of Colorado State University, his prediction is worthless.

Even his prediction that a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year is qualified by the word possibly. Thus, if it doesn't hit, then he can claim that "The Lord heard my prayers," or some such garbage. If a tsunami does hit, he will claim precognition. This is the same gambit that tabloid prognosticators use. Predict much, ignore the misses, and promote the hits.

If the current year ends with no tsunami, I would like to see the Rev. Robertson publicly admit he was wrong, doesn't hear the word of G-d, and announce his retirement from public life.

Update 3 October '06:

MIAMI (Reuters) - A noted U.S. hurricane forecaster said on Tuesday the milder-than-expected Atlantic season will produce just two more tropical storms and no more "major" hurricanes due to El Nino conditions in the Pacific.

The season has so far seen nine tropical storms, of which five reached hurricane strength. William Gray's forecast team at Colorado State University said that by November 30, the end of the official six-month season, the total will be just 11 storms, with one more hurricane.

Hurricane forecasts, including Gray's, have been wildly off target this year following last year's record-breaking season, when 28 tropical storms formed, besting the old mark of 21 set in 1933. Among the worst of last year's storms was Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans and killed 1,500 people along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

At the beginning of the 2006 season, the Colorado State team predicted there would be 17 tropical storms and said nine would turn into hurricanes with sustained winds of 74 miles per hour (119 km per hour) or more.