Avian Flu Diary: August Tropical Climatology

#16,097

Last year, on the 1st of August, we were on our 9th named storm (Isaias) of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, on our way to a record shattering 30 named storms (14 being hurricanes). Fast forward a year, and in 2021 the tropics are remarkably clear, and have thus far only served up 5 tropical storms.

That will likely change over the next 30 days, as the heart of hurricane season doesn't really begin until the middle of August - peaking around September 10th - and running to late October. Hurricane season doesn't officially end until the last day of November.

While early season storms tend to form in the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean (see July Tropical Climatology), as ocean temperatures rise late in summer, and winds aloft become more favorable, hurricanes tend to form farther to the east, giving them more time grow before encountering land (see below).

Although September is regarded as the peak of the season, August has a history of producing some very large, and infamous, storms including Harvey (2017), Katrina (2005), Charley (2004), Andrew (1992), and Camille in 1969.

Hurricane Donna (1960) - the first storm I can personally remember - formed in August but wasn't upgraded to a hurricane until Sept 1st.

You can find much more on Hurricane Climatology at NOAA’s Tropical Cyclone Climatology page.

With the forecast calling for an active season ahead and (for the second summer in a row) a concurrent pandemic to complicate matters, this year - perhaps more than ever - it is important to be prepared before the next storm threatens (see Why Preparing For This Year's Hurricane Season Will Be `Different').

As we've discussed so often in the past you don't have to live right on the coast to be affected by a land falling hurricane. High winds, inland flooding, and tornadoes can occur hundreds of miles inland.

So if you haven't done so already, plan a visit to NOAA's National Hurricane Preparedness web page, and decide what you need to do now to keep you, your family, and your property safe during the coming tropical season.

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 7 - Complete A Written Plan
Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 6 - Help Your Neighbors

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 5 - Strengthen Your Home

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 4 - Get An Insurance Check-up

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 3 - Assemble Disaster Supplies

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 2 - Develop An Evacuation Plan

National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Day 1 - Determine Your Risk

You'll find some excellent non-government internet hurricane resources online (along with some very sketchy ones), but the two I heartily recommend are Mark Sudduth's excellent Y ouTube channel and http://hurricanetrack.com/ - and for true weather nerds like me - Mike's Weather page is a daily stop.

But your primary source of forecast information should always be the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

These are the real experts, and the only ones you should rely on to track and forecast the storm.

If you are on Twitter, you should also follow @FEMA, @NHC_Atlantic, @NHC_Pacific and @ReadyGov and of course take direction from your local Emergency Management Office.

As any Floridian will tell you, often the biggest challenge with hurricanes comes during the aftermath, when electrical power may be off for days (or even weeks). If you are interested in learning how to build, or acquire, a rudimentary solar power setup, you may wish to revisit: