Watch: Time lapse of 30 storms in record Atlantic Hurricane season
by Scott Sistek | KOMONews.com Meteorologist
Tuesday, November 24th 2020
GOES-16 image shows 5 tropical systems spinning in the Atlantic at the same time on Sept. 14, 2020. (Photo: NOAA / GOES-16)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The record-smashing Atlantic Hurricane season of 2020 is nearing a close (on Nov. 30) after a relentless assault on the Eastern Seaboard, Gulf Coast, Central America and Caribbean Islands.
There were a total of 30 named storms this season, breaking the old record of 28 set in 2005 and for just the second time ever the National Hurricane Center ran out of names to call the storms and had to dip into the Greek Alphabet for reserves.
Of the 30 storms, a record 13 became hurricanes — six of them “major” hurricanes reaching Category 3 strength or higher. And somehow Louisiana got mercilessly picked on with five storms making landfall in their state.
According to NOAA, this is the fifth consecutive year with an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, with 18 above-normal seasons out of the past 26.
“This increased hurricane activity is attributed to the warm phase of the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation (AMO) — which began in 1995 — and has favored more, stronger, and longer-lasting storms since that time,” NOAA officials said. “Such active eras for Atlantic hurricanes have historically lasted about 25 to 40 years. An average season has 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.”
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