Rick,

I think there is something in the very nature of humans that wants to recognize patterns and project future trends. Similarly, I have been guilty of looking for price movement in stock market charts to achieve symmetry, and have found myself not only, disappointed, but poorer, when future stock movements did not meet my symetrical expectations!

With hurricane tracking, I purposely keep my track predictions to myself, as it is easy to look at every little jog and jag in satellite imagery as confirmation of one's anticipated trend. On another board, I have noticed a certain poster who lives in SW Louisiana and makes definitive forecasts that EVERY hurricane is heading in his general vicinity and will make several posts daily as the storm progresses using every bit of "information" possible in an attempt to justify and prove his prediction.

I find it entertaining and informative to read the posts of those who make fact-based predictions, though. It can be a learning experience to try to see what that individual is seeing and try to understand how or why that particular feature did or did not materialize or influence hurricane movement as the poster expected. Some who post these expectations might consider adding phrases, such as, "I think the hurricane might do X, if y happens" or "It may be a possibility for the hurricane to....".

Best wishes to all.