No Major Hurricane Has Made Landfall In the U.S. In More Than 9 Years — and That’s a New Record
1MAY2015
http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/major-hurricane-us-landfall-drought-study
Why Was Wilma the Last Major Storm to Hit U.S.?
Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari talks about why we haven’t had a major hurricane in more than a decade in the U.S.
The U.S. is in new record territory, as the nation passes the nine and a half year mark without the landfall of a major hurricane. But what researchers believe is behind the so-called hurricane drought might surprise you.
A hurricane is considered a “major hurricane” when it reaches at least Category 3 status, with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane Wilma was the last major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S., when it came ashore on October 24, 2005 near Cape Romano in southwestern Florida as a Category 3 storm; Wilma actually peaked as a Category 5 as it spun in the Caribbean Sea.
This is now the longest streak since hurricane records began in 1851. The previous record was a little over nine years, set from August 11, 1860 to September 8, 1869.
Hurricane season is just starting to reach the traditional peak. We should wait til the end of September before jumping on this.