Record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season tops off traumatic 2020
A report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has found that the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season was the most active on record.
The season, due to end on November 30, produced 30 named storms, breaking 2005’s record of 28.
Of the 30 named storms, 13 were hurricanes and six were major hurricanes of category three and above.
Hurricane Iota, which struck Central America in the middle of November, became 2020’s strongest Atlantic hurricane and the first category five hurricane in November since 1932.
It made landfall in Nicaragua, just one week after category four, major Hurricane Eta struck the same region.
The strongest hurricane to impact Nicaragua, before it was devastated by two monster storms within weeks, was back in 2007.
NOAA reported that 12 hurricanes made landfall in the United States, five of those in the state of Louisiana alone.
Since storm naming began in 1953, the 2020 season has become the second to use the Greek alphabet for additional names, after the original, twenty-one name list was fully checked off.
The year 2020 was also the fifth consecutive year that saw an ‘above normal’ Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA stated.
Hurricane developments are enhanced by warmer sea surface temperatures, unstable weather over West Africa and low wind shear.
Higher wind shears would rip a storm’s circulation apart, meaning a lower chance of development.
Whilst this previous season was busy, the frequency of named storms has not been attributed to climate change, although the idea of rapid and greater intensification has.
This means that storms formed in optimal conditions are likely to become more destructive and dangerous in a shorter period of time.
The 2020 season officially ends on November 30, but NOAA says that named storms and hurricanes can still develop beyond this date, although it is less likely.
