The State of The Hurricane Season

The 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season has unfolded to be an active one for tropical storm formation. To date, a total 16 named storms have been tallied over the Atlantic Ocean, 5 of these reached Hurricane strength. The following is a list of Hurricanes of the 2011 season in chronological order:

1- Hurricane Irene (08/20-08/29) Maximum sustained wind speeds of 120 miles per hour and a minimum central pressures of 942 millibars, a category 3 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale. Hurricane Irene is the landmark storm of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season due to its direct impact to the eastern United States. Hurricane Irene affected the Greater Antilles as a slow moving Tropical Storm producing torrential rains over Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The storm gained strength and made a direct landfall over the Bahamas as a category 2-3 Hurricane. Hurricane Irene made its first landfall in the U.s. over the coast of North Carolina as a category 2 storm. The storm made a second and third landfall over the Jersey shore and New York harbor as a category 1 storm. The storm claimed over 40 lives, damages are estimated to range in the billions.

2- Hurricane Katia (08/29-09/10) Maximum sustained wind speeds of 135 miles per hour and a minimum central pressure of 946 millibars, a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale. Hurricane Katia was largely a marine interest as this storm system remained well away from any land. The storm did produce large swells up and down the east coast of the U.S. as it moved over the open waters of the North Atlantic.

3- Hurricane Maria (09/06-09/16) Maximum sustained wind speeds of 80 miles per hour and a minimum central pressure of 979 millibars, a category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale. The storm impacted the Lesser Antilles with tropical rained and storm force winds. The storm gained strength as it moved in to a more favorable region in the Atlantic side swiping Bermuda with rain and gusty winds. Eventually as the storm lost its tropical characteristics it impacted Nova Scottia as an extra tropical storm.

4- Hurricane Ophelia (09/21-10/03) Maximum sustained wind speeds of 140 miles per hour and a minimum central pressure of 940 millibars, a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale. Hurricane Ophelia in the strongest storm to spawn from the 2011 Hurricane season. Ophelia impacted the Lesser Antilles as a storm before curving sharply towards the north. The storm intensified rapidly to a category 4 barely missing Bermuda to the east. Hurricane Ophelia became extra tropical over the cooler waters of the North Atlantic and made landfall over Nova Scottia.

5- Hurricane Philippe (09/24-10/08) Maximum sustained wind speeds of 90 miles per hour and a minimum central pressure of 976 millibars. This storm was largely influenced by upper level winds as it meandered about over the open waters of the Atlantic. The storm was ultimately sheered apart by front and eventually dissipated.

Eventhough we have passed the peak of the Hurricane season, we can still expect development in the tropics well through October and November. Forecast models indicate trpocal storm development is still likely as we progress through late October.