Hurricane 101 - Recap of 2010 storms

2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season

By Dr. Rick Knabb, The Weather Channel's Hurricane Expert

Not All About the Numbers

The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was another reminder that it’s not all about the numbers.

Despite an Atlantic basin-wide total of 19 tropical storms, 12 of which became hurricanes -- including five major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) -- no hurricanes and only one tropical storm made landfall in the United States this year.

Some U.S. impacts did occur, including four cyclones bringing tropical storm conditions to some part of the country. However, most of the damages and, in many cases, casualties occurred elsewhere.

Mexico was arguably the hardest hit overall while northern Central America, many Caribbean islands; Bermuda and Atlantic Canada were also targeted by cyclones during the course of the season.

2010 Atlantic Basin Hurricane/Tropical Storm Tracks

Similarities With 1995

All that said, the numbers are still quite impressive.

2010 is tied with 1995 for the third-most tropical/subtropical storms (19) on record, behind only 1933 (21 storms) and 2005 (28 storms).
 
The totals are even more remarkable given the relatively slow start to the season, with the fourth named storm not forming until late August, near the long-term average date for that occurrence.
  
Starting with Danielle on Aug. 27, the season’s five major hurricanes formed within just three weeks, including four Category 4 hurricanes in a record 20 days.  Interestingly enough, no hurricanes reached Category 5 intensity this year.

The 2010 season is also similar to 1995 in terms of where the tropical cyclones generally formed and moved.
 
As in 1995, the storms were in two separate groups, with about 60 percent forming and staying east of about the longitude of Jamaica and New Jersey, and the other 40 percent forming and staying west of there.

Steering Pattern

Many of the 2010 storms developed quickly over the far eastern Atlantic as in 1995, but they turned to the north and northeast before they could reach the United States, due to a persistent trough over the eastern U.S. and western Atlantic.

Predominant Steering Flow

Hurricane Julia was notable for being the farthest east, in the Atlantic records since satellites became available in the early 1970s, to reach Category 4 intensity.
 
A persistent ridge of high pressure over the northern Gulf coast also kept many systems from impacting the southern U.S., except for Deep South Texas, and instead steering most of the activity in the western part of the basin toward Mexico and northern Central America. 

This pattern was somewhat different from 1995, during which five tropical cyclones, including Hurricane Erin and Major Hurricane Opal, made landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Intriguing Landfall Stats

No hurricanes have made landfall in the United States for two straight years; the first time since 2000-01.
 
Following the landfall of Hurricane Ike (2008) in Texas, there have been 18 consecutive Atlantic basin hurricanes without a hurricane making landfall in the United States.
 
This is not (yet) the longest stretch of “misses," however. A longer such string of 22 hurricanes occurred during 1999-2002. 

No major hurricanes have struck the U.S. since 2005, or for five straight years (2006-2010), the first time that has happened since 1910-1914.