Updraft: December 4, 2008 Archive

Record season

Posted at 2:59 PM on December 4, 2008 by Paul Huttner

Hurricane Ike slams the Texas coast in September.

It's one for the record books.

Hurricane season 2008 will go down as the 4th (tie) most active season on record since 1944, when aircraft first flew missions into tropical cyclones. There were 16 named storms this year in the Atlantic basin, and 5 major (Category 3-5) hurricanes.

NOAA story

U.S. Bull's Eye

For the first time ever on record, six consecutive tropical cyclones struck the United States. Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike all made landfall on the U.S. mainland. Cuba was pounded by a record three major hurricanes this year.

NOAA 2008 hurricane seasons satellite animation

The active year continues the strong multi-decadal signal that began in 1995. The lingering La Nina may have also lessened upper level wind shear, creating a favorable environment for tropical cyclones to spawn in the Atlantic. Also the tropical Atlantic ocean was about 1 degree Fahrenheit warmer than average.

Thoughts of tropical breezes are nice these days in the Upper Midwest. This has been the coldest day in about 8 months for many locations!

Our next clipper will bring us another shot of snow Friday night.

Stay tuned!

PH