2006 Atlantic hurricane season
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| First system formed1: | June 10, 2006 | |
| Active systems1: | TD Two | |
| Total named storms: | 1 | |
| Total hurricanes: | None yet | |
| Major hurricanes (Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale>Cat. 3+): | None yet | |
| Strongest storm: | Alberto (70 mph, 995 mbar) | |
| Number of systems making landfall1: | 1 | |
| Total damages: | N/A | |
| Total Accumulated cyclone energy>ACE: | 2.51 | |
| Confirmed fatalities: | 0 direct, 2 indirect | |
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One system, Tropical Storm Zeta from the 2005 season, continued through early January. So far, one storm, Tropical Storm Alberto, has formed in the season. It made landfall in the Gulf Coast of northeastern Florida on June 13, causing minimal damage.
Seasonal forecasts
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts Philip J. Klotzbach, Dr. William M. Gray, and their associates at Colorado State University; and separately by NOAA forecasters.Klotzbach's team (formerly led by Dr. Gray) defined the average number of storms per season (1950 to 2000) as 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes (storms exceeding Category 3 strength in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 6 to 14 named storms, with 4 to 8 of those reaching hurricane strength, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes.
| Source | Date | Named storms | Hurricanes | Major hurricanes |
| CSU | Average (1950–2000) | 9.6 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| NOAA | Average | 6–14 | 4–8 | 1–3 |
| Record high activity | 28 | 15 | 8 | |
| Record low activity | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| CSU | 5 December 2005 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| CSU | 4 April 2006 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| NOAA | 22 May 2006 | 13–16 | 8–10 | 4–6 |
| CSU | 31 May 2006 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| Actual activity | - | - | - | |
Pre-season forecasts
On December 5, 2005, Klotzbach's team issued its first extended-range forecast for the 2006 season, predicting a well above-average season (17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 5 of Category 3 or higher).Similar to the 2005 season, the team predicted a high potential for at least one major hurricane to directly impact the United States: the forecast indicates an 81% chance of at least one major hurricane striking the U.S. mainland (including a 64% chance of at least one major hurricane strike on the East Coast of the United States including the Florida peninsula, and a 47% chance of at least one major hurricane strike on the Gulf Coast of the United States from the Florida Panhandle westward). In addition, the potential for major hurricane activity in the Caribbean was above average. A few months later, on April 4, 2006, CSU issued another forecast that reaffirmed the forecast previously made in December.
On May 22, 2006, NOAA released their forecasts for the 2006 season. They predict 13 to 16 named storms, with 8 to 10 becoming hurricanes, and 4 to 6 becoming major hurricanes.
On May 31, 2006, Klotzbach's team released their final pre-season forecast for 2006, confirming their previous numbers.
Storms
Tropical Storm Zeta (2005)
- Main article: Tropical Storm Zeta (2005)
Tropical Storm Alberto
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| Intensity | , | |||
Alberto made landfall midday on June 13, about 50 miles (85 km) southeast of Tallahassee, Florida. Alberto brought a storm surge of five feet to the Big Bend area of the Florida coastline, flooding areas of Cedar Key and Crystal River. The large system was slow to weaken, moving across Georgia and the Carolinas before being downgraded to a tropical depression early on June 14. Alberto became an extratropical storm that morning while quickly moving towards the coast. Ex-Alberto strengthened rapidly offshore New England and the Canadian Maritimes, becoming an oceanic storm by the afternoon of June 15.
- The NHC's [archive on Tropical Storm Alberto].
- The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC)'s [archive on Tropical Storm Alberto].
Tropical Depression Two
Current storm information
Recent timeline of events
- Main article: Timeline of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season
July
- July 18
- 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) - Tropical Depression Two forms off the North Carolina coast.
2006 storm names
| Alberto | ||||
The names to the right will be used for named storms that form in the North Atlantic in 2006. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2012 season. The list is the same as the 2000 season's list except for Kirk, which replaced Keith.
While it had been previously reported that a new backup list would be chosen (after it was first used in 2005), the National Hurricane Center reported in its first tropical weather outlook for the season that it would again use names from the Greek alphabet should the main list run out. It would again start with Alpha rather than skipping the six names already used and starting with Eta.
Retirement
Names to be retired, if any, will be announced by the World Meteorological Organization in the spring of 2007.
See also
- redirect[[Template:Portal]]
- List of notable Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 2006 Pacific hurricane season
- 2006 Pacific typhoon season
- 2006 North Indian cyclone season
- 2005-06 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
- 2006-07 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
References
External links
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