Meet Jay Barnes, author of North Carolina's Hurricane History. Director of the North Carolina Aquarium in Atlantic Beach, he frequently gives presentations about the state's hurricane history. Here he responds to the questions he is most frequently asked during his public appearances.

Q. What brought about your interest in hurricanes?

A. Growing up in Southport, North Carolina, I heard many stories about the destruction caused by Hazel in October, 1954. I was fascinated by these stories, but developed a stronger interest while developing programs and exhibits on hurricanes for the North Carolina Aquarium in the early 1980s.

Q. How long did it take to write the book?

A. The research, which involved gathering newspaper reports, National Weather Service records, and historical photographs took almost two years, while the actual writing took about one years.

Q. How does North Carolina's hurricane history compare with that of other states?

A. North Carolina ranks third, after Florida and Texas in the number of hurricane strikes since 1899 (Louisiana is tied with North Carolina).

Q. What was the worst hurricane to strike North Carolina?

A. The answer(s) to this question depend upon the definition of "worst." Hurricane Fran, which made landfall near Cape Fear in September, 1996, was the most destructive storm in North Carolina history. It left behind a trail of wreckage from the coast to the Capitol and beyond, with a total cost estimated to exceed $4 billion. Hurricane Hugo, which struck the South Carolina beaches and moved through western North Carolina in September, 1989, caused $1 billion in damages in the Tar Heel State and $7 billion overall. Hurricane Hazel, which struck Brunswick Country in October, 1954, didn't match the dollar damages of Fran, but was a more powerful storm. Hazel was a category four hurricane with winds of 140 mph and a 17 foot storm surge. Hurricane Fran was a category three. The hurricane of September, 1883, is believed to have killed more people (53) than any other North Carolina hurricane. Other hurricanes in the past are likely to have equaled or surpassed Hazel's strength, although these cannot be verified due to a lack of sufficient weather data. Some likely candidates include the hurricanes of 1879, 1856, 1846, 1789, and 1752. No category five hurricane is known to have made landfall on the North Carolina coast.

Q. What did you find most intriguing about your hurricane research?

A. I enjoyed finding the unusual and often amazing events that often occurred during major hurricanes. These include daring rescues, natural phenomena, and incredible feats of survival. Some of my favorites include: the story of Connie and Jerry Helms, who rode out Hazel's storm tide in the tree tops of Long Beach; the story of the Providence Methodist Church in Swan Quarter that was mysteriously relocated in the hurricane of 1876; and the report from Cedar Island of a young pig, trapped in a high tree crotch by floodwaters in 1933, that was assumed to be dead, but that upon removal, came to life and nearly frightened its rescuers to death.

Q. When will North Carolina's Hurricane History be updated?

A. Plans are now in place to update the book for release in 1998. The new edition will include sections on hurricanes Bertha and Fran, as well as inclusion of any hurricane events that might occur during the 1997 hurricane season. In the meantime, I have completed the manuscript for my next project, Florida's Hurricane History, which is scheduled to be released for the summer of 1998.