The active hurricane season, which led to the National Hurricane Center in Miami issuing a tropical storm warning for California’s coast and hurricane warnings for Nova Scotia, will end on Thursday evening.

In the Atlantic basin, there were a total of 20 named storms, which is the fourth-highest amount since 1950. Among these storms were seven hurricanes, three of which were classified as major hurricanes at a Category 3 or higher level.

“The 2023 hurricane season demonstrated that impacts can occur in various locations,” stated Michael Brennan, the director of the hurricane center. “We experienced a tropical storm affecting Southern California, Hurricane Idalia making landfall as a strong hurricane along the Florida Gulf Coast, Ophelia impacting the U.S. East Coast up to New England, and even Hurricane Lee reaching as far as Nova Scotia in the Northeast.”

Throughout the season, Mexico experienced numerous instances of hurricanes making landfall. One notable example was Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm that caused significant damage to Acapulco and resulted in the loss of many lives.

Brennan stated that the season was very hectic.

According to the speaker, there has been a significant increase in the number of named storms since 2017, indicating a period of heightened storm activity. This trend has continued into the current season, with both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans experiencing a sustained period of storm activity.

However, Brennan did mention a few positive aspects.

The speaker mentioned that a significant hurricane hit the Gulf Coast of Florida, an area that is prone to storm surge. Despite this, there were no storm surge-related deaths.

The sparsely populated marshland on the west coast of Florida, where the storm hit, allowed residents to evacuate before the storm arrived.

Brennan expressed satisfaction with the achievement and encouraged everyone to take pride in it. He also acknowledged the significant contribution of the hurricane center’s updated storm surge warning system and reliable forecasts.

Last year, Hurricane Ian caused a powerful storm surge that led to numerous fatalities and extensive damage in southwest Florida. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ian was responsible for a total of 156 deaths, with 66 directly caused by the storm.

The tumultuous 2022 in Florida caused great worry for numerous citizens, including Danielle DeLoach, who manages Tropic Shores Resort in Daytona Beach Shores. She expressed immense relief that the hurricane season is coming to a close.

Last November, Hurricane Nicole caused severe damage to the resort located on the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the loss of its seawall and pool deck. As a result, the building was deemed unsafe and condemned for approximately four weeks following the storm.

DeLoach stated that due to not having a seawall, they were completely vulnerable. They believe that everyone who experienced damage to their seawalls was concerned for this season.

The construction of the resort’s seawall has been completed, however, efforts are still underway to replace the pool.

DeLoach expressed that despite the challenges of king tides and other occurrences on the Atlantic Ocean, they can take comfort in the fact that they are now protected. While they may not have a pool deck or pool, the seawall provides some level of security.

The experts at the Miami hurricane center may need a day or two to recuperate, but according to Brennan, the offseason is still a hectic time as they plan for the 2024 season starting on June 1. The team will analyze data on all storms from 2023 and begin training and readiness efforts for the upcoming season.

“He mentioned that you may be preparing for hurricane season, or it may already be hurricane season,” he stated.

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Fischer provided a report from Miami.

Source: wral.com