rdfs:comment
| - The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active tropical cyclone season in recorded history, with a record-shattering 46 named storms. The record activity is attributed to record-warm sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic basin, mainly due to a positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In addition, a strong La Niña developed very early in the year after briefly dissipating in September the previous year, and persisted throughout the remainder of the season. The official bounds of tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin, June 1st through November 30, are the dates that typically delimit tropical cyclone formation in the basin and are adopted by convention. However, tropical cyclone activity first began exceptionally early - as Tropical Storm Arlene formed in mid-Janu
|
abstract
| - The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active tropical cyclone season in recorded history, with a record-shattering 46 named storms. The record activity is attributed to record-warm sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic basin, mainly due to a positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In addition, a strong La Niña developed very early in the year after briefly dissipating in September the previous year, and persisted throughout the remainder of the season. The official bounds of tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin, June 1st through November 30, are the dates that typically delimit tropical cyclone formation in the basin and are adopted by convention. However, tropical cyclone activity first began exceptionally early - as Tropical Storm Arlene formed in mid-January, subsequently followed by two more pre-season tropical cyclones in May. This is the only known occurrence of three pre-season tropical cyclones within the basin. All in all, the season had record numbers of named storms (46), hurricanes (31), and major hurricanes (21), the highest seasonal totals of any basin worldwide. Initial pre-season outlooks did not accommodate above-average activity due to the likelihood of the development of a weak El Niño in the eastern Pacific. However, by late December 2016, waters along the equatorial Pacific rapidly grew colder, signifying the development of a La Niña. As activity exploded into late July, revised predictions forecasted above-average activity throughout the remainder of the year. However, even these predictions not meet the actual activity. Prior to this, the most active tropical cyclone season worldwide was the 1964 Pacific typhoon season, with 39 named storms. However, upon the formation of Hurricane Tau in late October, marked the occasion that 2017 was now the most active season on record. The season's activity exhausted both the main and Greek lists due to continued storm formation, and one letter in the Hebrew alphabet required use, respectively. In addition, ten of the record-shattering twenty-one major hurricanes broke basin and global records for their extreme intensities. Impact during the season was catastrophic, as forty of the storms affected land to some degree. The United States was the most affected, having been struck on 32 separate occasions by a tropical cyclone. Mexico and the Greater Antilles were also severely affected and suffered billions of dollars in losses. Due to the amount of damage thrust upon these areas, the 2017 season is regarded as the costliest and deadliest in Atlantic history. Hurricane Ophelia wrought tremendous damage upon the states of Florida and Alabama of at least $160 billion (2017 USD, ranking as the most destructive hurricane in history. In addition, Hurricane Beta was deadliest in Atlantic history, causing over 32,000 fatalities after slamming Belize and eastern Mexico. Many other storms were notable, and at least half of the tropical cyclones this season caused at least $1 billion in damages.
|