Hurricanes

Hurricane Summary POSTED: February 8, 2012 4:50 a.m. The 2011 Hurricane Season Has Come to a Close The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season will go down in history as one of the most active on record. On Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials released a list of final statistics for the season, which included a post-storm upgrade of Tropical Storm Nate to hurricane status and the addition of a previously unclassified, unnamed tropical storm. In all, 19 named tropical systems prowled the Tropical Atlantic Basin this season, with seven achieving hurricane status and three gaining major hurricane status (Category 3 hurricane or stronger). With 19 storms, 2011 goes in the record books as tied for the third-highest total since records began in 1851 (joining 1887, 1995 and 2010). The unnamed tropical system, which formed in early September between Bermuda and Nova Scotia, was added to the list after an analysis of past satellite images by NOAA. The agency points out this storm could have gone undetected in the pre-satellite era. Concerning the number of hurricanes, 2011 was fairly ordinary. According to Tropical Weather and Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski, "Despite the high number of named systems, most storms were underachievers this year." In a typical year, 11 storms are named, with six becoming hurricanes and two major hurricanes. The strongest hurricane was Ophelia, which maxed out at 140-mph sustained winds. "Most hurricanes formed well away from the U.S. and stayed away from the U.S.," Kottlowski said. There were three tropical cyclone landfalls this season, which is typical. However, Hurricane Irene stood above the rest in reminding the East Coast of the U.S. that it takes only one hurricane to make a memorable season. On Aug. 27, Irene became the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. mainland since Ike in 2008. "Irene broke the 'hurricane amnesia' that can develop when so much time lapses between landfalling storms," said Jack Hayes, Ph.D., director of NOAA's National Weather Service. According to Kottlowski, "A northwesterly flow of dry air and wind shear kept most of the storms away from the U.S. However, the flow backed off just long enough to let Irene, then Lee come ashore." Irene was responsible for widespread flooding, 56 fatalities and $10.1 billion in damage, with homes, bridges and roads still in the process of being rebuilt from North Carolina to New England more than three months later. Extensive damage also occurred in the Bahamas. Rainfall from Irene and Lee combined to set rainfall records in a number of locations in the mid-Atlantic and even topped record flood stages along the Susquehanna set during Agnes in 1972. Both AccuWeather.com and NOAA's long-range forecast teams correctly predicted a busier-than-normal season. You can view the original AccuWeather forecast, released this past spring, here, or take a look at stats from this season's storms in our Hurricane Center. Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski contributed to the content of this story. By AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Bill Deger