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SpatialNews Press Release
Nation Escapes Active Hurricane Season
Washington, November 30, 2000 -- The 2000 Atlantic hurricane
season came to an end today with only two named tropical storms
making landfall on U.S. soil. It was the first year since 1994 that the
nation went unscathed by a hurricane, and a far cry from last year when
five such storms pounded ashore leading to a record 19 major disaster
declarations.
"We were lucky this year," FEMA Director James Lee Witt said, "but
we shouldn't count on it happening again the next time around. Everyone
in vulnerable areas should heed the lessons of the past and continue to
take disaster-resistant measures that protect against losses from these
dangerous storms."
Statistically, the season itself was exceptionally active, spawning an
above average 14 named storms-three more than predicted at the outset
of the season last June and two more than in 1999. Eight of the storms
became hurricanes, three of which were of Category 3 strength or
higher. Those numbers compare with the 1950-1990 averages of 9.3
named storms and 5.8 hurricanes, with 2.2 of these at Category 3 or
greater.
Unlike 1999, only one of this year's storms, Tropical Storm Helene,
prompted a major disaster declaration after making landfall on
September 22 slightly west of Walton Beach, Fla. The storm, preceded
by Tropical Storm Gordon's mild strike on Florida's Gulf Coast a week
before, dumped 10 inches of flooding rain on the state's panhandle,
resulting in nine counties being declared for federal aid to repair
damaged infrastructure.
Florida also hosted another tropical-related event the following month
when a strong low-pressure system off its West Coast brought record
rains and flooding to the southern part of the state on October 3 before
eventually becoming Tropical Storm Leslie in the western Atlantic. Four
counties were subsequently declared for aid to flood victims, including
swamped Miami-Dade. With more than 51,600 people already applying
for assistance and FEMA funding approaching the $100 million mark,
the event rates as the most costly disaster so far this year.
For the first time since 1992, no named tropical storms were formed in
either June or July. The first to appear was Hurricane Alberto in early
August, followed in the same month by Tropical Storm Beryl, Tropical
Storm Chris and Hurricane Debby. Of those, only Debby posed a threat
to the U.S. Caribbean islands before skirting the area with heavy rains,
while Beryl tracked toward the southwest corner of the Texas coast
before veering off into northeastern Mexico.
For the balance of the season, seven named storms were spawned
during September, the most for one month since 1988, three in October
and none in November. All of them except Gordon and Helene faded
away without seriously threatening the nation's mainland and offshore
interests.
STORM NAMES
DATES
Hurricane Alberto
August 4-23
Tropical Storm Beryl
August 14-15
Tropical Storm Chris
August 17-19
Hurricane Debby
August 20-24
Tropical Storm Ernesto
September 1-3
Hurricane Florence
September 11-13
Hurricane Gordon
September 15-18
Tropical Storm Helene
September 15-22
Hurricane Isaac
September 21-October 1
Hurricane Joyce
September 25-October 2
Hurricane Keith
September 28-October 6
Tropical Storm Leslie
October 4-7
Hurricane Michael
October 17-19
Tropical Storm Nadine
October 19-22
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