Hurricane Season Planning Tools
For Higher Education Institutes
HURRICANE READINESS
Make a Plan, Stay Informed
Know Your Risk
When, Where, and How Tropical Cyclones Form
HURRICANE READINESS
Make a Plan, Stay Informed
TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
Peak of Hurricane Season
JUNE FORMATION
•On average, about 1
storm every other
year.
•Most June storms
form in the NW
Caribbean Sea or Gulf
of Mexico.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
June Formation Area
JULY FORMATION
•On average about 1
storm every year.
•July development
areas spread east and
covers the western
Atlantic, Caribbean,
and Gulf of Mexico.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
July Formation Area
AUGUST FORMATION
•On average about 2–3
storms form each
year.
•The Cape Verde
season usually begins
in August.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
August Formation Area
SEPTEMBER FORMATION
•September is the
climatological peak of
the season.
•Storms can form
nearly anywhere in
the basin; Long track
Cape Verde storms.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
September Formation Area
OCTOBER FORMATION
•Secondary peak of
season in mid-October.
•Cape Verde season
ends. Development
area shifts back to the
Gulf, Caribbean and
western Atlantic.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
October Formation Area
NOVEMBER FORMATION
•On average about 1
storm ever other year.
•Storms that do form
typically develop in
central Caribbean or
western Atlantic.
ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE CLIMATOLOGY
November Formation Area
HURRICANE FORECASTING
Pre-existing Disturbances
DISTURBANCES
•Tropical Waves
−About 70% of all Atlantic basin
formations
−Most major hurricanes
•Decaying cold fronts
−Formation often near Gulf and
SE States
−Typically early or late season
storms
•Non-tropical lows and
thunderstorm complexes
−Often subtropical systems
tropical
disturbance
tropical
depression
hurricane
tropical
storm
extratropical
transition
SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES
Tropical Cyclone “Fuel”
ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY
50 KT 60 MPH…INLAND $$ Forecaster Avila NNNN
