CT Hurricanes

June 1st marks the start of the Hurricane Season for the Atlantic. (May 15th was the start on the Pacific side.)

The NOAA released a report earlier this week discussing about an above average hurricane season - going so far as to peg a 70% chance of 14-23 named storms (Tropical storm, >39 MPH winds). Of those, 8-14 may become strengthen into hurricanes (>74 MPH winds).

Hurricanes have been a foreign concept in Connecticut, simply because the large scale, Category 5 storms that are seen on the media just aren't seen locally, for a myriad of reasons. Things like a cooler water temperature further north, wind sheer from regional wind patterns, and Long Island acting as a buffer to our south all contribute to weakening possible hurricanes, combined with the fact that storms may either veer into the US further south, or decide to go on a journey across the Atlantic, far away from our soil. The systems that we do end up seeing tend to bring excessive rainfall instead of high speed winds that are characteristic of hurricanes.

That being said, weaker hurricanes have moved through the area in the past (the most recent being Category 2 Hurricane Bob in 1991, following Cat. 2 Hurricane Gloria in 1985). However, just because a hurricane weakens into a Tropical Storm (39-73 MPH winds) or Tropical Depression (>38 MPH winds), doesn't mean that it's incapable of damaging the area.

Although winds tend to create the most direct damage, systems could dump an excessive amount of rainfall (such as Tropical Storm Hanna from 2008), leading to flooding concerns. Other then obvious direct danger and damage from rising waters, the rain could potentially weaken and loosen soil. This, coupled with the winds, may uproot trees, causing blocking roads, hit power/infrastructure lines, or directly impact property, potentially causing injury or death.

Also, as these systems tend to approach from the ocean, they can create swells hours or in some cases, even days before making contact with the coast. Also, these storms could generate rip currents, dragging swimmers and surfers farther away from land.

In addition to those threats, tropical systems can generate tornadoes. Hurricane Bob spawned two F1 tornadoes in Suffolk county on Long Island. Although tornadoes spawned by hurricanes tend to be notably weaker, it can be just as devastating because rain can disguise the tornado, along with people's focus on the overall tropical system itself.

The National Hurricane Center, as of this writing, currently does not have any notable storms in the Atlantic. However, with already significantly above average water temperatures, and the lack of any drastic wind patterns to break up tropical storm formation, it may only be a matter of time before we get our first named system of the season.