Taking a Look at the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Credit: NOAA, National Hurricane Center)

A Lookback at the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Credit: NOAA, National Hurricane Center)

November is ending and so is the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season. This season produced eighteen named storms. Among those eighteen named storms, six of them were hurricanes.  Out of the six hurricanes that formed, three of these hurricanes were categorized as major hurricanes. A major hurricane is defined as a category three or higher on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. The Saffir-Simpson wind scale measures a hurricane’s sustained wind speed. According to NOAA, the 2019 season was the 4th consecutive season for above average production of tropical systems. 

This hurricane season tied a record with 2003 and 1957 for having the most tropical cyclones form in the Gulf of Mexico. Five storms formed in that geographical region and of those, three tropical cyclones (Barry, Imelda, and Nestor) made landfall in the United States. Tropical Storm Nestor made landfall across the Florida Panhandle and the storm surge and rainfall caused flooding across the area. Tropical Storm Imelda made landfall in Freeport, Texas on September 17th, 2019. Imelda caused widespread flooding in the Houston, TX area. Tropical Storm Imelda is tied with two other tropical cyclones for shortest lived tropical storm. Hurricane Barry was a category 1 hurricane that made landfall in Louisiana on July 26, 2019. It caused devastating flooding to southeastern parts of Louisiana . 

Hurricanes Dorian, Humberto, and Lorenzo were the three major hurricanes  that formed this season. Hurricane Dorian caused devastating damage to the Bahamas as a category 5 hurricane. With sustained winds of 185 mph, Dorian battered the Bahamas as it made landfall on Grand Bahama Island on September 1st, 2019. Dorian was the first category five to make landfall there and with winds of 185 mph it was the strongest hurricane on record to hit Abaco Island. Dorian then  made landfall as a category 1 hurricane in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on September 6th, 2019. When looking at just Hurricane Dorian’s wind speed, it is tied with three other hurricanes as the second strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin. Dorian was one of three major hurricanes this season.

Hurricane Humberto was the second of two major hurricanes this season. Humberto was the first hurricane to make landfall in Bermuda since Hurricane Nicole in 2016.   Hurricane Humberto was a category 3 storm as it came in on Bermuda. This hurricane did not make landfall in the United States but did cause dangerous surf and rip currents up the coastline.
The third major hurricane that formed this season was Hurricane Lorenzo. Hurricane Lorenzo was the second category five hurricane of the 2019 season and broke the record for where it formed. It was the eastern most hurricane to form in the Atlantic and also had the highest amount of  ACE (Accumulated Cyclone Energy) index on record east of 45°W geographically. 

With the 2019 Hurricane season finished, it is never too early to begin making preparations for next summer. June 1st  comes quickly and It’s important to have a plan in place if you live in hurricane-prone areas because it only takes one storm to cause significant damage. Being prepared and tuned into your local and government weather service offices is a great way to be ready for the 2020 season!
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©2019 Meteorologist Shannon Scully