MIAMI — The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season ended today.
The season was more active than average, featuring 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four that made landfall on the U.S. mainland.
But perhaps most importantly here, did not send the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico any major storms.
“Hurricane Season officially ended today,” St. Croix Senator Novelle Francis Jr. said. “We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Subconsciously we were all very concerned about the possibility of another hurricane strike. We were dealt some very hard blows last season with two category 5 hurricanes reaching our shores and devastating our islands. We have learned a lot in the past year about how we respond to storms and their aftermath. We have a long way to go but we continue to rise as we recover and rebuild our territory. We are stronger every day.”
Here’s how this year’s season stacked up, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
- The season produced 15 named storms.
- These included eight hurricanes, two of which were “major” (Category 3, 4, or 5).
- For comparison, an average season has 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
- Florence and Michael (both Category 4s) were the worst hurricanes to affect the U.S. this year.
- This year saw a record seven named storms classified as “subtropical.”
- The previous record was five subtropical storms in 1969.
- This season was the first in 10 years to have four named storms active at the same time (Florence, Helene, Isaac, and Joyce).
- The named storms were called Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, and Oscar.
- The next name on the list would have been Patty, but she got to sit this season out.