Recap on 2012 Hurricane Season

The 2012 hurricane season in the United States was listed as above avergage by the NOAA.  There were 19 named storms this year, 11 of which matured into hurricanes.  The only serious hurricane that formed, Michael, never made landfall and stayed out in the open Atlantic.  NOAA reports that while this year was an active year for hurricanes, there have been 10 busier years in the last 30.  While the number of hurricanes remains high, this is the seventh straight year that the United States has not been hit by a major hurricane, type 3 or higher.  Though there were not major hurricanes that made landfall, probably the most expensive storm in the history of the United States hit New Jersey, New York, and other parts of the east coast.  As we've discussed in class, the reason that we've had so many above normal years of hurricane activity is related to warmer waters.  The report says that one of the reasons that no major hurricanes made landfall in the United States was due to a persistant jetstream that covered the eastern portion of the United States for much of the hurricane season.  NOAA reports that it will release its preseason outlook for 2013 in May.  Until then I can hardly wait!