There is a lot of dangerous weather in the Atlantic, from whipping winds to flash floods. Climate change has been linked to an increase in the number of hurricanes.
How long does the Atlantic Hurricane Season last? How do hurricanes get started? In the face of the most dangerous storms on earth, what can people do? This Live Science guide will show you everything you need to know about hurricanes. Predicted to bring higher-than-average activity, the 2022, Atlantic Hurricane season is expected to be even more ferocious.
The first named storm of the season, Tropical Storm Alex, emerged five days after the start of the season, despite the National Hurricane Center's forecast of an above-average season.
Tropical storms are hurricanes. The World Meteorological Organization puts out a list of tropical storms that have sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (63 to 118 km/h). The storm will become a Category 1 Hurricane once it reaches 95 mph. The Saffir-Simpson scale shows the sustained winds associated with 2 through 5 hurricanes.
NASA says that hurricanes are the most violent storms on the planet. Hurricanes are powered by heat and water when they form over the warm waters above the equator. There is a lower pressure region below the hot air. As air from higher pressure areas moves into the lower pressure area, heats up, and rises, it creates swirls in the air, according to NASA. The hot air gets high enough into the atmosphere to cause it to cool off and form clouds. The air and clouds can grow and become a storm.
Warmer waters in the Atlantic Ocean are the first condition needed for hurricanes to form.
It means you have lower pressures when the waters are warmer. The atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University said that it means a more unstable atmosphere which is good for hurricanes to intensify. The building blocks of hurricanes are the storms.
The change in wind direction with height into the atmosphere is one of the key factors. When there is a lot of wind shear, it tears apart the storm.
According to NASA, storms that form on different sides of the equator have different spin orientations.
Larger weather systems guide the individual ingredients for hurricanes. The lead seasonal Hurricane forecaster for the Climate Prediction Center said there are two dominant climate patterns that control the wind and pressure.
El Nio/La Nia is the first cycle. Bell said that during an El Nio, Atlantic hurricanes are suppressed, while La Nia creates more favorable conditions for hurricanes.
The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation is associated with warmer waters in the Atlantic and stronger African monsoons and lasts anywhere from 25 to 40 years.
"When this pattern is in its warm phase, or a warmer tropical Atlantic Ocean, we tend to see stronger hurricanes for decades at a time."
Between 1950 and 1970 and since 1995 a warm-phase AMO conducive to hurricanes existed.
The season starts on June 1 and lasts until November 30. The National Weather Service says the season in the Eastern Pacific Ocean starts in May and ends in November. Most of these storms hit during the peak season for hurricanes in August and October.
Between 12 and 28 tropical storms and between seven and 15 hurricanes are considered to be above normal by the Climate Prediction Center.
The center expects this year to pack a punch with a 65% chance of above-normal activity. There will be 14 to 21 named storms, or those with winds of 39 mph (63 km/h) or higher, according to the forecasters at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Six to 10 are expected to become hurricanes, with three to six of them strengthening into major hurricanes or storms with winds of more than 100 mph.
Scientists use a number of factors to make their predictions. Bell said that forecasts done too early have limited meaning because the El Nio/La Nia cycle usually happens in summer or early fall.
I agree. The world is seeing tropical storms that are stronger than in the past. According to an analysis of 4,000 tropical cyclones from 1979 to 2017, researchers concluded in 2020 that due to global warming these storms are not only getting stronger, but we are experiencing the strongest of the pack more often. In a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, scientists found that hurricanes that blast Bermuda are twice as strong as they were in the 60s.
According to Live Science, global warming is leading to so-called zombie storms, or those that peter out and then get refueled to rise from the dead. In September 2020 there was a Category 1 Hurricane that made it's way to Bermuda and weakened before dying out. She regained strength and was able to reach tropical storm strength about 300 miles off the Azores Islands. As waters warm up and give zombie storms new life, they could become more frequent.
The top 10 cities most frequently hit by hurricanes have been listed by HurricaneCity.
A tropical storm is defined as a storm with wind speeds of at least 38 mph. The storm is at a rate of 74 mph. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is used by scientists to determine the strength of hurricanes, with Category 1 being the least severe and Category 5 being the strongest. Some scientists want to add a Category 6 to account for storms that are beyond a Category 5 Hurricane.
| Category | Sustained wind speed (mph) | Potential damage |
| 1 | 74-95 | Minimal, with some roof leakage, gutter damage, snapped tree branches and toppled trees with shallow roots |
| 2 | 96-110 | Moderate, with major roof and siding damage; uprooted trees could block roads; power loss possible for days to weeks |
| 3 | 111-129 | Devastating damage, with gable and decking damage, many more uprooted trees and extended power outages |
| 4 | 130-156 | Catastrophic damage; roofs and exterior walls will be destroyed; trees will snap; power outages for weeks to months. Large area uninhabitable for weeks or months |
| 5 | 157 or higher | High fraction of framed houses will be destroyed; power outages for weeks to months; and huge swaths uninhabitable for same period |
The National Hurricane Center is owned by the federal government.
The scale has its limits. The National Hurricane Center says that the scale doesn't take into account storm surge, rain flooding and tornadoes.
The feast day for a Catholic saint led to the creation of Hurricanes. The National Hurricane Center states that Hurricane San Felipe happened on the feast day of Saint Phillip. Hurricanes that hit on the same day would have a different name. Hurricane San Felipe II was named after the storm that hit on September 13, 1928.
In the US, hurricanes were given female names based on the international alphabet by the 1950s. The practice of naming storms was stopped in 1978.
Even though there are seemingly open-ended possibilities, meteorology does not have free rein in deciding names. There is a long list of storm names that repeat on a six-year cycle. Clear and simple names are what the organization aspires to achieve. English, Spanish, Dutch, and French are some of the languages people may be affected by hurricanes.
The use of short, distinctive given names in written and spoken communications is quicker and less prone to error than the older, more cumbersome, latitude-longitude identification methods. The WMO said that these advantages are especially important in exchanging storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations.
The group agrees to remove the name from the list if the storm was so bad that it would be offensive again.
According to the NHC, people don't have to worry about being hit by hurricanes again because the names have been retired.
The list of names for storms in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico was prepared by the WMO.
It is important to have a plan to stay safe during hurricanes. There is a simple guide at Ready.gov for people to use. The plans need to be worked out for everyone. There is an escape plan for those who love animals.
How to determine if it's safe to stay at home during a storm is part of the plan. Live Science previously reported that there is a specific route you should take in the event of an emergency.
If you are in an evacuee zone, you need to find a place to stay, from a motel to a shelter.
A preset meeting place and protocol can help family members reach each other during hurricanes. Local cellphone lines can be busy during a storm. A central out-of-state contact can relay messages between family members who are not in the same state.
During a storm, pets should be leashed or placed in a carrier, and their emergency supplies should include a list of their vaccinations and a photo, according to the Humane Society for the United States. If a hotel or shelter doesn't accept pets, it's important to find someone who can care for them. They should wear a collar with the information of an out-of-state contact if they get separated from you during an emergency.
If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, you should protect your property. According to Ready.gov, homeowners can reduce the risk of damage caused by hurricanes by trimming trees or removing limbs that are damaged.
It is easy to make sure the rain gutter are fixed. It is important to reinforce the roof, doors and windows.
If the power is cut off for a long period of time, power generators can be used. There are dangers to keeping a power generator outside.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency pamphlet, people who are very serious about prevention might consider building a safe room.
Emergency supplies should be placed in multiple locations throughout a dwelling for people living in Hurricane Country. A disaster kit should include the following.
It was originally published on Live Science
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