It's just about time, folks. We're right on the doorstep of REAL hurricaneseason. Normally, the greatest number of storms occur during August, Septemberand early October, and anything that might happen before or after that is justan extra.Of course there was the 2005 season when 7 storms had been named already andtwo, Dennis and Emily, had become major hurricanes. As a matter of fact, Emilywas the earliest observed category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin. But 2005was a stellar hurricane season which set records left and right. It includedthe likes of Katrina, Rita and Wilma all of which reached category 5intensity.
With all the early activity that has occurred during the past decade onemight believe that this hurricane season is off to a slow start. Looking at theaverages though, we find that is not true. If you count up all the named stormsduring June and July and divide by the total number of years you wind up with afigure slightly less than 2. So you see, the lack of activity this season isnot unusual at all.
The latest first named storm in the Atlantic Basin since the 1960s washurricane Anita in 1977. We can't comment on what happened before the 60s withany level of certainty since there were no satellite pictures back then. Anitadeveloped in the Gulf of Mexico on August 29th and became a hurricane within acouple of days. The storm reached category 5 intensity in the western Gulf ofMexico before slamming into Mexico as a category 3 storm.
The 1992 season was similar in that no storm was named until the middle ofAugust. And yet that one, Hurricane Andrew, became one of the worst ever to hitthe United States coastline.
Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
