Despite predictions, the 2013 hurricane season is the quietest for 20 years
Despite a predicted active season, this year has been one of the quietest observed for hurricanes over the last 20 years according to Willis Re.
The reinsurance broker’s annual Hurricane Season Report states that there were less than a third of the normal number of hurricanes, which is the lowest number since 1982.
“The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, saw no major hurricanes, despite kicking off to an early start on June 5 with Tropical Storm Andrea,” states the report.
The season saw 13 named storms, with only two, Humberto and Ingrid, making it to hurricane status, and not a single major hurricane. Ingrid is considered to be the worst storm of the season reaching into Category 1 of the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Mexico was the worst hit in 2013, being hit by three storms from the Atlantic and five from the North Pacific Basin, while the US has not seen a major hurricane make landfall since 2005.
“A season without a major hurricane hasn’t occurred since 1994,” stated the report, which also noted that the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE), which is a measure of storm strength and duration that is used to quantify the total energy of Tropical Storms and Hurricanes, was the lowest since 1983. Tropical Cyclone activity was about 67 percent below the 1981-2010 average.
The report said that the reason for the quiet season was yet to be understood and was likely to spark debate for some time.
