Southern Hemisphere storm season has gotten off to a slow start so far, with the lowest cyclone activity on record, according to statistics compiled by Colorado State University (CSU) scientists.
Data compiled by CSU’s Tropical Meteorology Project shows Southern Hemispheric cyclone activity is only 8 percent of normal for the 2017-2018 season. Only two named storms have formed, but neither of those reached cyclone strength.
CSU meteorologist Philip Klotzbach said this season has beaten the 2016-2017 cyclone season as having the lowest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) on record. Scientists use ACE to measure the strength of cyclones or hurricanes.
“The Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons the past two years have gotten off to very slow starts,” Klotzbach said in a tweet.
Southern Hemisphere Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) is only 8% of normal for the 2017/18 season to date – the lowest Southern Hemisphere ACE on record from July 1 through December 29. pic.twitter.com/vbIYjByn1R
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) December 30, 2017
Typically the Southern Hemisphere sees about three cyclones by this time, one of which usually strengthens into a major storm. So far, only two named storms formed in the Indian Ocean, neither of which became cyclones.
Storm Dahlia formed in late November, but fizzled out after a few days. Another storm, Hilda, briefly formed in the Indian Ocean in late December.
While the Atlantic Ocean had a particularly active hurricane season this year, the rest of the world has been lower than normal. Globally, cyclone activity is about 88 percent of normal.
Though, try telling that to anyone who was in the path of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Puerto Rico is still recovering from both hurricanes, which took out nearly all of the island’s electricity.
Millions of Puerto Ricans are still without power three months into recovery efforts, according to reports.
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