Harvey

Trivia: What Percent of Atlantic Hurricanes Form After Today?

In my post last week about lake lowering during the peak of hurricane season, I observed that we have had a pretty quiet month since Hurricane Barry. In response, Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control’s meteorologist, emailed me today and gave me this amazing piece of hurricane trivia.

Q. What percentage of Atlantic hurricanes form on average after August 20th?

A. 85%.

Lindner added: “While the Atlantic basin has been very quiet since Barry in mid July, we have seen seasons before where there has been no or very little August activity and still managed to see near normal or even above normal activity by season end. With that said conditions in the basin should discourage development through the end of August. But note, usually 85% of the Atlantic basin tropical activity takes place after August 20th.”

Hurricane Harvey reached peak intensity on August 25th, 2017. Image courtesy of NOAA.

Something worth remembering as we approach the second anniversary of Hurricane Harvey next week.

In fact, NOAA has just increased the chances for an above-normal tropical hurricane season this year. It has to do with the end of el Nino.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/19/2019

720 Days since Hurricane Harvey