Experts call 2012 hurricane season an unusual one
FORT COLLINS, Co. - The hurricane experts at Colorado State University are calling the 2012 hurricane season one of the most unusual on record.
CSU's hurricane forecast team point to the large number of weak storms and the general lack of major hurricanes.
“The 2012 hurricane season had more activity than predicted in our seasonal forecasts. It was notable for having a very large number of weak, high latitude tropical cyclones but only one major hurricane that lasted for a mere six hours,” said Phil Klotzbach, lead author of the forecast.
The Colorado State team of Klotzbach and William Gray made its long-range seasonal forecast, which called for a slightly below-average hurricane season, on April 4 and June 1. An update issued on August 3 called for average activity.
Just as hurricane season began in June, the team called for 13 named storms, five hurricanes and two major (Category 3-4-5) hurricanes. They updated that in August, calling for 14 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. The season produced 19 named storms, 10 hurricanes but only one major hurricane.
“Superstorm Sandy was a very atypical system that caused some of the most economic damage ever associated with a single storm in U.S. history,” Klotzbach said. “Its destruction was the result of a combination of a mid-latitude cyclone and tropical cyclone whose northwesterly track brought major flooding to the New York City and New Jersey coastal areas.”
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