There were nine depressions that resulted in eight tropical storms. Six of the tropical storms became hurricanes, and two of those became major hurricanes [Edouard & Gonzalo].

This was a below average season because of a larger Saharan Air Layer of dust in dry air over the eastern Atlantic, and higher than normal wind shear in the Caribbean. The sea surface temperatures in the southern Atlantic were near average.

The only storm to impact the US mainland was Hurricane Arthur, which grazed North Carolina as a Category 2 and went on to final landfall as a tropical storm near the Nova Scotia/New Brunswick border in Canada.

Bermuda was the primary target this year, getting hit by Tropical Storm Fay and then, a week later, by Hurricane Gonzalo [Category 3].

Gonzalo was the most destructive storm of the season. It came through the Antilles as a Category 1, peaked at Category 4 with 145mph winds, dropped to a Category 3 before it hit Bermuda. It continued northeast and transitioned to a Post-Tropical Cyclone with 100mph winds when it hit Great Britain. It then moved into Europe and caused major flooding all the way down to Greece.

This was Florida’s ninth year without being hit by a hurricane, which means we are way overdue.

This is Dr Masters’s wrap-up with all of the technical bits included.

Right between Hogwatch and Festivus on December 22^nd I have to add: Jury Duty.

It should be interesting to see how much attention a jury will pay to testimony at a trial during Christmas week, with all of the things the jurors have to do before Christmas.