Weather By The Numbers: 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season

This edition of Weather By The Numbers focuses on the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The season starts on June 1st annually, but as you will see, we had a subtropical storm form several days prior to the start of the season. Then, we went on a 50-day streak of calm before the next system formed which became our first hurricane of the year. Here are the details by the numbers:

13.5 – Number of named storms predicted by NOAA before the start of the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

18 – Actual number of named storms that formed across the Atlantic Basin during the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

7 – Number of hurricanes predicted by NOAA before the start of the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

6 – Actual number of hurricanes that formed across the Atlantic Basin during the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

3 – Number of major hurricanes (category 3 or stronger) predicted by NOAA before the start of the season and the actual number of major hurricanes that formed during the season (Dorian, Humberto, and Lorenzo).

2 – Number of tropical depressions that occurred that never made it to tropical storm strength during the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

185 – Maximum sustained wind speed (MPH) estimated with Hurricane Dorian, the strongest recorded for the season.

160 – Maximum sustained wind speed (MPH) estimated with Hurricane Lorenzo, the second strongest recorded for the season.

20 – May 20th; the date when Subtropical Storm Andrea formed with tinds topping out at 40 MPH sustained.

24 – November 24; the date Tropical Storm Sebastien degenerated into an open trough and lost its tropical characteristics.

124 – Amount of Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) recorded during the season. ACE measures the combined strength and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes.

From the National Hurricane Center: Overall, the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season featured above-normal activity. Eighteen named storms formed, of which six became hurricanes and three became major hurricanes – category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. This compares to the long-term average of twelve named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. There were also two tropical depressions that did not reach tropical-storm strength. In terms of Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE), which measures the combined strength and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes, activity in the Atlantic basin in 2019 was well above the long-term mean.

Here is the list of tropical cyclones that formed during the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season:

Andrea … 5/20-21 … 40 MPH (max)
Barry … 7/11-15 … 75 MPH
TD-3 … 7/22-23 … 35 MPH
Chantal … 8/21-23 … 40 MPH
Dorian … 8/24-9/7 … 185 MPH
Erin … 8/26-29 … 40 MPH
Fernand … 9/3-4 … 50 MPH
Gabrielle … 9/3-10 … 60 MPH
Humberto … 9/13-19 … 125 MPH
Imelda … 9/17-19 … 40 MPH
Jerry … 9/17-25 … 105 MPH
Karen … 9/22-27 … 45 MPH
Lorenzo … 9/22-10/2 … 160 MPH
Melissa … 10/11-14 … 65 MPH
TD-15 … 10/14-16 … 35 MPH
Nestor … 10/18-19 … 60 MPH
Olga … 10/25 … 40 MPH
Pablo … 10/25-28 … 80 MPH
Rebekah … 10/30-11/1 … 45 MPH
Sebastien … 11/19-24 … 55 MPH

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Tropical