ORLANDO, Fla. – For all intents and purposes, the 2023 hurricane season is over!
Pending post-season development (more on that below), the 2023 hurricane season will finish with 20 named storms, including the subtropical storm that went unnamed in January.
Seven of those 20 storms became hurricanes, with three becoming major, including Category 5 Hurricane Lee.
The amount of storms was largely inline with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s pre-season forecast.
The most impactful storm of the 2023 hurricane season was Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Big Bend of Florida.
From an energy standpoint, the season generated an accumulated cyclone energy or ACE of 145.6. The average is just over 121. Accumulated cyclone energy or ACE is the measure of the energy used by a tropical system once it achieves tropical storm status.
Looking ahead to December and even into the winter months o0f 2024, there may be a higher-than-normal shot for subtropical or tropical development.
The good things is, none of this will impact the U.S., but it would be noteworthy.
The main reason is because the Atlantic remains extremely warm. The Central American Gyre and West African Monsoon season will be in hibernation to limit forcing for storm development this winter, but tropical transitions could be happening in the wide-open Central Atlantic.
Basically, nontropical storms could form along cold fronts that get out over the open waters of the Atlantic. With the water being unseasonably warm, these disturbances could start the process of taking on tropical or subtropical characteristics.
Again, these would mean nothing for the U.S., but don’t be surprised if there are post-season outlooks from the National Hurricane Center in December or January.
Hurricane season officially ends Dec. 1.