MAY I raise the following question: “Do tidal forces affect the formation of hurricanes?” If one examines the changing direction of the tidal force due to the sun and a moon near new (or full) on an August day, say, as this force acts on a small element of air located at a point south of the sub-solar latitude and north of the equator, one finds the tidal force would tend to make the atmospheric element move in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from above. Furthermore, as the sun moves southward in August and early September, the latitudes where the highest atmospheric tides would be expected (here considered semi-diurnal), would fall alternately north and south of the equator, the successive points on either side approaching the equator. Might there not be one time at which the separation of these two latitudes would correspond to a natural frequency of oscillation of the atmosphere? If these arguments have any validity, the hurricanes in the North Atlantic should show an increase in number shortly before September 23 and a decrease shortly after that date.