When Tropical Storm Vicky developed on September 14, it became the 20th named Atlantic storm of the 2020 hurricane season. That tied this season with 1933 for being the second busiest one. Merely four days later on September 18, a total of three storms – Wilfred, Alpha and Beta – were named and that broke the tie making the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season the stand-alone second busiest on record behind 2005.
According to Colorado State University scientist, Dr. Philip Klotzbach, it was only the second time on record that three named storms formed on the same calendar day – and first since August 15, 1893. As of yesterday, there has been a total of 23 tropical storms, of which eight became hurricanes, including two major hurricanes. An “average” Atlantic hurricane seasons has 12 tropical storms of which 6 become hurricanes with 3 major hurricanes.
There are some key differences between 2005 and 2020. For example, there were five major hurricanes by this point in the 2005 hurricane season – Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Nate and Rita. By comparison, only Hurricanes Laura and Teddy have been major hurricanes so far this season. They were each Category 4 storms at peak intensity. A “major” hurricane is defined as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
This season got off to a faster start than 2005 since two tropical storms developed in May 2020, which was prior to the official start of the hurricane season on June 1. That made this season the sixth consecutive year at least one named storm has developed prior to June 1. By comparison, the first named storm of the 2005 season didn’t develop until June 8.
While there has been a higher overall number of storms so far in 2020 compared to the same point of the 2005 season, there were more major hurricanes in 2005. However, there have been more landfalling tropical systems so far this season. When Tropical Storm Beta made landfall in Texas on September 22, it became the ninth landfalling tropical storm or hurricane in the United States of 2020. That ties 2020 with the 1916 season for most landfalling systems in the contiguous United States. By comparison, eight storms made landfall in the United States during the entire 2005 season.
It’s also worth noting that 2005 was the only previous season that was so active it necessitated using the Greek alphabet to name tropical systems. Consequently, Tropical Storm Beta was the first storm with a name from the Greek alphabet to ever make landfall in the United States. NOAA’s forecast for the 2020 hurricane season cited the development of La Nina conditions as a primary factor in it being an active one. Hurricane season runs through November 30.
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