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Hurricane Season Review

Dr. Suzana  Camargo
 

Western Pacific

In the Western Pacific, the tropical cyclone activity was also near normal with a total of 32 tropical cyclones during this year (long time average of 31.8). From these 30 tropical cyclones 21 reached typhoon intensity (long time average of 17.7) and three of them, Wutip, Podul and Faxai, reached super-typhoon intensity (long time average of 4). Taiwan was hit by three typhoons this year: Typhoon Toraji, Typhoon Nari and typhoon Lekima and suffered a enormous material damages and killed more than 100 people. Typhoon Nari was especially damaging as it moved very slowly over Taiwan and stayed almost 3 days over the island, bringing an enormous cumulative rainfall and consequent flooding, blackouts, and 92 associated deaths. Typhoon Utor made landfall in China after killing more than 70 people in the Philippines, and knocking down hundreds of houses and flooding farmlands. Three weeks later, typhoon Yutu also made landfall in China. Japan was also hit hard in this typhoon season with two typhoons making landfall: Typhoon Pabuk and Typhoon Danas. Pabuk was the first typhoon to hit the Tokyo metropolitan area directly in three years. Typhoon Danas made landfall near Kamakura, about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo, leading to landslides and floods and shutting down the Japan's bullet trains.

(Typhoon data from Joint Typhoon Warning Center: http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html )

Damage reports from CNN: http://asia.cnn.com/ASIA/typhoon/)
 

Eastern Pacific

In contrast with the high activity in the Atlantic, the hurricane season activity for the Eastern Pacific was near normal, with 15 named storms, 8 of which became hurricanes and 2, major hurricanes. The long term averages for the Eastern Pacific are 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes. Hurricane Juliette was the only one to make landfall this season, causing floods in southwest Mexico, especially in the Baja California peninsula. Hurricane Juliette was also the second strongest hurricane on record in terms of lowest central pressure (923mb) in the Eastern Pacific. Hurricane Dalila paralled the Pacific Coast of Mexico while having tropical storm strength and passed directly over Socorro Island. Hurricane Gil interacted with, and eventually absorbed, Tropical Storm Henriette.

(Data and reports of damage from the National Hurricane Center - http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)
 

North Indian Ocean

The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone activity was also near normal with 4 tropical cyclones forming in the region, which has a long time average of 5 tropical cyclones in a year. Three of the tropical cyclones happened in the Arabian Sea and one in the Bay of Bengal. Tropical cyclone 04B hit Southern India and was responsible for at least 5 deaths. Several thousand people were evacuated before the tropical cyclone made landfall.

(Tropical cyclone data from Joint Typhoon Warning Center: http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html)

Damage reports from BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia)
 

Atlantic

The 2001 hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean was very active this year, with 15 named storms (long term average of 10). Most of the activity (11 named storms) occured on the last 3 months of the season (September, October and November). Nine of these storms became hurricanes (long term average of 6), with three occurring in November, a record for that month. There were four major hurricanes (category 3 or higher), compared with a long term average of 2 major hurricanes. All four major hurricanes formed in the 3 last months of the season. There was no US hurricane landfall, but 3 tropical storms hit the US. Tropical Storms Barry and Gabrielle struck Florida with near hurricane strength, with 570,000 losing power in Florida due to Tropical Storm Gabrielle. Tropical Storm Allison caused enormous flooding in Texas and Lousiana, resulting in 41 deaths and billions of dollars worth of damage. Two of the major hurricanes (Iris and Michelle) caused extensive damage in the Caribbean. Hurricane Iris devasted a 60 mile wide area of Southern Belize, where it hit land and was responsible for at least 31 deaths in the Caribbean and Central America. Hurricane Michelle caused extensive damage on the Caribbean, and was associated with at least 17 deaths and widespread damage in western and Central Cuba and in the Bahamas.

(Data and reports of damage from the National Hurricane Center - http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)

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