2006 Atlantic hurricane season

2006 Atlantic hurricane season

The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active since 1997. There were no tropical cyclones after October 2. Hurricane Ernesto caused heavy rainfall in Haiti, and directly killed at least seven in Haiti and the U.S. Four hurricanes formed after Ernesto, including the strongest storms of the season, Hurricanes Helene and Gordon. In total, the season was responsible for 14 deaths and USD 500 million in damage.

About 2006 Atlantic hurricane season in brief

Summary 2006 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active since 1997 as well as the first season since 2001 in which no hurricanes made landfall in the United States. There were no tropical cyclones after October 2. Hurricane Ernesto caused heavy rainfall in Haiti, and directly killed at least seven in Haiti and the U.S. Four hurricanes formed after Ernesto, including the strongest storms of the season, Hurricanes Helene and Gordon. In total, the season was responsible for 14 deaths and USD 500 million in damage. The calendar year 2006 also saw Tropical Storm Zeta, which arose in December 2005 and persisted until early January, only the second such event on record. The storm can be considered a part of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, although it occurred outside the June 1 – November 30 period during which most Atlantic basin tropicalcyclones form. The season started on June 1, 2006, and officially ended on January 6, 2006. Although the majority of its existence was spent in 2006, it is the only year in which it is officially a storm of that year’s calendar year. It is the second time in history that a North Atlantic tropical cyclone has formed in two years, the first time being Hurricane Alice in 1989. It was the first hurricane season since 1994 in which there were no cyclones in October, and the first since 1994 that no tropical storms formed during October. The 2006 season was slowed by a rapidly forming moderate El Niño event, the presence of the Saharan Air Layer over the tropical Atlantic, and a robust secondary high-pressure area to the Azores high centered on Bermuda.

The average number of storms per season is 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2. 3 major hurricanes. A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 6–14 named storms, with 4–8 of those reaching hurricane strength, and 1–3  major hurricanes. The forecast suggested an 81% probability that at least one major hurricane would strike the U S. mainland, a 64%chance of at leastone major hurricane striking the East Coast of the U States, and a 47%chance of at least one major hurricane striking the Gulf Coast. On August 8, 2006,. NOAA revised its season estimate to 12–15 named storms,  with 7–9 becoming hurricanes, and 3–4 becoming major hurricanes, on September 1, Klotzbach’s team also revised its season estimate to 13 named storms, 5 hur Hurricanes, and 2 major Hurricanes. The team again reduced the number of tropical storms for the season a month later, on October 3, with an updated forecast for an expected 11, with 7 hurricanes and 2 major Hurricane strength, citing an ongoing ongoing El Niño. On May 22, 2006 the NOAA released its pre-season forecast for the 2006 season. The prediction was for 13–16 named storms,. 8–10 of those becoming hurricanes,. and 4–6 becoming major  hurricanes.