The Atlantic Ocean’s 2018 hurricane season was certainly a head-scratcher for meteorologists. After remaining quiet most of the summer, on September 10th there were 3 separate hurricanes being fueled by its warm waters: Florence, Isaac and Helene. According to a report issued by the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU), that was only the 11th time in history that the Atlantic had spawned 3 hurricanes simultaneously since 1851, when record keeping first began.
Of the 3, Hurricane Florence was the only storm to make landfall in the U.S., leaving much devastation in her wake. Of more serious concern to meteorologists is that on September 12th, satellite images from the National Hurricane Center in Miami captured 5 active Atlantic storms of tropical cyclone strength or greater at the same time. And, according to CSU climatologists, in just the past two years 3 Category 4 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S.; a phenomenon that had never been documented before.
So, the question that remains based on the last two Atlantic hurricane seasons is: How many hurricanes can its vast waters fuel at one time?
How Hurricanes Form
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th every year, potentially threatening those located within coastal regions that make up the “Atlantic Basin”. A hurricane is like a giant engine that forms once the ocean’s water temperatures reach 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm, moist air that’s surrounding an extremely low-pressure center begins swirling, and then starts gaining momentum as it’s fueled by warm air rising from the ocean’s surface.
Initially classified as a tropical storm, or “cyclone”, once the storm’s sustained winds reach 74 mph it’s upgraded to a hurricane. As the heated, moisture-filled air rises and cools, the airborne water forms clouds. This massive system of clouds and wind spins and grows as it’s fed by the ocean’s evaporating heat and water. Around the center, or “eye”, winds continue to intensify for as long as weather conditions remain favorable.
Fully formed, a large hurricane can be up to 340 miles in diameter, and totally dominate the ocean surface and lower earth’s atmosphere for thousands of square miles.
Odds of Multiple Atlantic Hurricanes
Based on research conducted by Dr. Anand Gnanadesikan, a climatology professor at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the odds of a 2nd tropical storm forming in the Atlantic when another is already present is roughly 20%. Dr. Gnanadesikan further points out that storm records compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicate that only about 1% of the time during the past 168 hurricane seasons have there been 4 tropical cyclones simultaneously reported in the Atlantic.
Additionally, there are only 32 records since 1851 when 5 or more storms were active at the same time, as they were on September 12th last year, and just 9 instances of 6 storms. Given the two major limitations of hurricane formation and sustainability- atmospheric conditions and fuel- Dr. Gnanadesikan places the maximum number of hurricanes that the Atlantic could sustain at any given time at 7. But that, of course, is only a guess. For those living within the Atlantic Basin, that’s one frightening scenario that will hopefully never come true!
Emergency Fuel Services for Hurricane Recovery Plans
If you manage a business, utility company or local government agency in the Atlantic Basin, your disaster recovery plan probably contains contingencies for hurricanes. But does that plan also include enough emergency fuel to see you through? Since 2006, Specialty Fuel Services (SFS) has answered the refueling call of U.S. clients impacted by natural disasters, including hurricanes just within the past two years. What we’ve learned is that you’d better have plenty of fuel for your generators, equipment, vehicles and rescue aircraft. And, that’s where we come in.
To learn more about our disaster-tested emergency fuel delivery services, or if you’d like some assistance developing a business continuity plan, please call SFS today at: 1-866-445-5508, or email us at: [email protected]. You can also reach us by using our convenient online contact form now.