Hurricane Season
The deadliest, strongest, and costliest Atlantic storms
Hurricane Season 2009—Predictions
Experts predict that the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends November 30, has only a 25% chance of being above normal in activity. "NOAA scientists predict 9 to 14 named storms, with four to seven becoming hurricanes, of which three could become major hurricanes of Category three strength or higher," said a NOAA official. An average season sees 11 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes, including two major hurricanes.
Hurricane Season 2008—Review
Hurricane season 2008, produced a record number of consecutive storms—the fourth most active since 1944. A total of 16 named storms formed during the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, six of which made landfall on the U.S. mainland: Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike. Of the 16 storms, eight were hurricanes, and five were major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher: Bertha, Gustav, Ike, Omar, and Paloma. This is also the first Atlantic season to have a Category 3 or higher storm form in five consecutive months—July to November.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
