Record slow hurricane season, but Maritimers warned to stay vigilant about extreme weather
So far, no hurricane has formed in the Atlantic basin despite the fact the climatological peak of hurricane season, Sept. 10, has already passed.
The 2023 hurricane season in the Maritimes has been notably slow, with no hurricanes forming yet despite the climatological peak of the season having already passed. Meteorologist Ian Hubbard from the Canadian Hurricane Centre stated that this is the longest period without a hurricane forming in the Atlantic basin in about 75 years. This is attributed to the effects of El Niño, which has reached super status, leading to increased vertical wind shear that can disrupt the formation of tropical storms.
So far, the Atlantic basin has only seen five named storms this year, compared to an average of about 14 storms and seven hurricanes. The Canadian Red Cross, which is heavily involved in hurricane preparations and relief efforts, has been focusing their efforts elsewhere this year, such as in Cape Breton after heavy rainfall.
Despite the quiet hurricane season, extreme weather remains a significant risk for the region. The Canadian Red Cross' emergency management director, Ancel Langille, emphasized that while the forecast predicts this year "will likely be among the hottest years on record," it can amplify conditions like drought, heavy rain, and flooding, and warmer-than-usual winters.
The recent flooding in Cape Breton, which resulted in the death of a 46-year-old woman, serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness regardless of the hurricane season forecast.
The province's Department of Emergency Management acknowledged that while a quieter hurricane season is welcome news, it doesn't reduce the potential impact of a single storm. They stated, "It only takes one hurricane or post-tropical storm affecting our province to cause significant damage, disrupt essential services, and impact communities."
Hubbard reiterated the importance of staying vigilant, noting that "even though it's been quiet and we're expecting it to remain below normal this season, we still have a month and a half of what we consider to be the busiest time of year."
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
