Although 2019 has seen its share of natural disasters, like floods, earthquakes and tornadoes, hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean has been relatively quiet. In fact, there have only been two name-worthy tropical storms thus far, Andrea and Barry. Of those, Barry was the only true hurricane to hit the continental U.S. So, does that mean that the worst of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season is behind us? Unfortunately, historical trends tell us that a strong possibility for a late-season, catastrophic storm still exists.
NOAA’s 2019 Hurricane Forecast
Every spring, climatologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration make predictions for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season- which officially runs from June 1st through November. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released their 2019 forecast back in May, which predicted:
- A total of 9 to 15 named tropical storms
- 4 to 8 hurricanes resulting from those tropical storms
- 2 to 4 major (category 3+) hurricanes
- A near-average total number of tropical storms and hurricanes
To put this year’s unusually quiet season in perspective, the climatological peak of hurricane season doesn’t arrive until September 10th- which is still a month away. And, based on Atlantic storm records dating back to the mid-1800s, we’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to Mother Nature’s wrath.
Remember September of 2017?
Two Septembers ago, Americans watched in awe as powerful Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria pummeled the continental U.S. and her island territories one by one. In fact, September of 2017 was the worst ever month for Atlantic storm activity according to hurricane experts. At one point late that summer, the Atlantic’s warm waters were simultaneously fueling 5 separate hurricanes, and then, as an encore, produced Ophelia in mid-October. Overall, September of 2017 gave us 3 of the top 10 costliest hurricanes in U.S. history.
The 5 Deadliest U.S. Hurricanes Ever
Based on estimated fatalities, the 5 deadliest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. all occurred during late-August through October of their respective years:
1. Galveston in 1900
2. Okeechobee in 1928
3. Katrina in 2005
4. Cheniere Caminada (the “Great October Storm”) in 1893
5. Sea Islands in 1893
Two other infamous U.S. storms, Hurricane Hazel (1954) and the Florida Keys Hurricane (1906), also struck in October, leaving widespread damage and heavy casualties in their wake.
Lessons Learned from the Past
History tells us that this hurricane season is far from over. Thankfully, today’s reliable hurricane detection, tracking and warning systems help save lives. But widespread property damage and service outages that last for days, or even months, still occur. As a result, if you run a business, facility or government agency that’s located in a hurricane zone, you need to have a business continuity plan in place that includes enough emergency fuel and a reliable emergency fuel supplier to keep your generators, equipment and vehicles operational until the crisis is over.
We’ve Helped Clients “Weather the Storm” Since 2006
The time to prepare for a hurricane is before it hits, and not after. Since 2006, Specialty Fuel Services (SFS) has been helping clients in numerous industries “weather the storm” by providing expert emergency fuel logistics planning, supply, transfer, storage and delivery solutions. If you could use some operational preparedness assistance, call SFS today at:
1 (866) 445-5508, or contact us via email now at: [email protected].