Beware Late Season Hurricanes

 

 

While not as active as September, the month of October can still be quite active in the tropical Atlantic.  However, the frequency and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes often decreases as the month wears on.  That’s not to say there haven’t been intense and high impact hurricanes in October and November. 

Just yesterday, Hurricane Epsilon became a major Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph while southeast of Bermuda.  That made it the second major hurricane to develop since October 1, along with Hurricane Delta.  2020 is the first Atlantic season since 2005 to see two major October hurricanes.  Fortunately, Epsilon is weakening and will not have a direct impact on the United States.  That’s unlike some other late season hurricanes that were both intense and costly.

Sandy (2012) – The strongest hurricane of the 2012 season, Sandy reached Category 3 intensity with sustained winds of 115 mph.  It tracked north after its landfall in Cuba on October 25.  Eventually, it made landfall as a weaker storm in New Jersey, causing extensive coastal flooding with significant impacts that reached well inland.  Sandy also set a number of rainfall and low pressure records. 

Shortly before its landfall in New Jersey, Sandy was no longer a tropical system lost its tropical characteristics over cooler ocean waters and was considered a non-tropical or “post-tropical” storm.  Consequently, all the hurricane watches and warnings were discontinued.  That led to a lot of confusion since many people thought the storm was no longer dangerous.  As a result of this controversy, it was determined that future hurricane watches and warnings should remain in effect even after a given storm becomes a non-tropical system. 

Despite not officially being a tropical storm or hurricane at its time of landfall in the United States, the name “Sandy” was retired since it was both damaging and deadly.  Sandy remains among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

Wilma (2005) – Before impacting the United States, Wilma was the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum central air pressure of 882 millibars (mb), compared to standard sea level air pressure of approximately 1013 mb.  Its sustained winds also reached 185 mph, and that made it the fourth Category 5 hurricane of the epic 2005 season.  Fortunately, Wilma weakened significantly before it reached southwest Florida on October 24 as a Category 3 storm.  Wilma was also noteworthy for being the last hurricane to make landfall anywhere in Florida until Hermine in 2016.

Kate (1985) – Kate reached peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on November 20 with sustained winds of 120 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 953 mb.  Kate weakened slightly to a Category 2 storm before making landfall in the Florida Panhandle on November 21.  It was the latest landfalling hurricane on record in the contiguous United States.  Kate was also the fourth hurricane to impact the U.S. Gulf Coast during the 1985 season.