The 2023 hurricane season, which began June 1, has ended, marking six months of meteorological uncertainty for regions affected by tornadoes and hurricanes year after year.
In 2023, the season started early with the unusual formation of an unnamed subtropical storm in January, marking an early and exceptional start.
The season also surprised by its “unexpected activity,” with more than twice as many systems as would be expected in the Atlantic in an El Niño year, said Hugh Willoughby, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at the International University of Florida (FIU ).
During the season, 21 tropical cyclones developed in the Atlantic, of which 20 were tropical storms, 7 were hurricanes and 3 were of high intensity. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it is the fourth season with the most frequently named storms in a year since 1950.
Among the most notable hurricanes was Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in northern Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, inundating fields with storm surges of 7 to 12 feet (2 to 3.6 meters), causing crop failures and enormous production losses.
The company Moody’s Analytics estimated in a preliminary report that the damage and production losses caused by the hurricane in this region of Florida known as the “Big Bend” amounted to between 12,000 and 20,000 million US dollars.
In addition, the United States was hit by two tropical storms: Harold and Ophelia in Texas and North and South Carolina, respectively.
One of the most notable times was in late August when six tropical cyclones formed, including Emily, Franklin, Gert and Harold. Four of these storms were named within 39 hours, setting a record in the history of hurricane season.
Additionally, Franklin hit the Dominican Republic before becoming a major hurricane.
What is also particularly striking is the route that numerous tropical storms and hurricanes have taken this season to the north “out to sea”, fortunately often avoiding populated areas, said María Torres, director of the technical department of the National Hurricane Center (NHC). , in English).
The NHC expert explains that this fact is due to the fact that “the ridge of high pressure that normally directs systems westward” was not as strong in 2023, allowing most storms or hurricanes to “turn northward and to curve”. back to the central or western Atlantic.
The 2023 tropical cyclone name list included Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, José, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean and Tammy, not including Vince’s name and Whitney are used.
These names were selected from the same list used in the 2017 season, with the exception of Harold, Idalia, Margot and Nigel, who replaced Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate, respectively.
Can hurricanes form out of season?
As for the possibility that phenomena of this kind occur outside of seasonal data, the simple answer is yes. It is important to remember that although most tropical cyclones form within the official season period, they can also occur outside of these dates.
The formation of the unnamed subtropical storm in January 2023 is an example that these events can occur at any time of the year.
Stronger storms and more destructive hurricanes will form within a few hours, according to the report. These US states will see the worst impacts.
What impact did it have on the child?
In theory, activity in the Atlantic basin this year should be influenced by the appearance of the El Niño meteorological phenomenon in the Pacific, which usually calms the conditions that lead to the formation of hurricanes in the Atlantic.
But both NOAA, which predicted a “near-normal” hurricane season in the Atlantic basin last May, and Colorado State University (CSU) had to radically correct their forecast in the middle of the season.
At the same time, the “extreme anomalous heat” observed in the Atlantic counteracted some of the typical wind shear caused by El Niño that normally prevents the formation of storms in the Atlantic basin.
“The record sea surface temperature in 2023 (with August temperatures of 25.19 degrees Celsius) allowed numerous storms to form, although many of them did not intensify much or were short-lived,” said the NHC’s Torres.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE END OF THE SEASON?
At the end of a hurricane season, a crucial period of analysis and reconstruction begins.
Meteorological experts carefully study the patterns and data collected during the season, which is critical to improving forecasts and preparedness strategies in the future.
For their part, the communities affected by the hurricanes are focusing on repair and reconstruction work, addressing the challenges posed by these phenomena, while various agencies such as FEMA are closing the deadline for applications for assistance.
Andrea Romero and Tairy Ynoa explain in detail everything you need to know about hurricanes.