Final 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Tally: 8

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season may have been slower than expectations, but it was was consistent with expectations and costly:

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season ended Sunday, marking the finish of one of the busiest and costliest hurricane seasons ever.

The damage caused by this year's Atlantic hurricanes is estimated at $54 billion, according to the National Climatic Data Center. That's second in recorded history only to 2005, the year Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. The total that year was an estimated $128 billion.

Government studies have noted that, when adjusted for inflation and other factors such as population density in coastal areas, some hurricane seasons from early last century could be seen as more expensive.

Still, the huge financial impact of this year's storms took their toll on an already-struggling economy.

It was the fourth busiest Atlantic hurricane year since 1944. The National Climatic Data Center said 2008 is "the only year on record in which a major hurricane existed in every month from July through November in the north Atlantic."

Comments

[Scott]

"The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season may have been slower than expectations" ????

Did you read your own snippet: "fourth busiest Atlantic hurricane year since 1944", "the finish of one of the busiest and costliest hurricane seasons ever"?

NOAA predicted 12–16 named storms, 6–9 hurricanes, and 2–5 major hurricanes. Those predictions were later updated to 14-18 named storms, 7-10 hurricanes and 3-6 major hurricanes . We actually have experienced 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes.

The actuals fall neatly within the updated predicted ranges and towards the high end of the earlier prediction. To characterize that as "slower than expectations" is false.

Why did you do that? Any chance you are clinging to your earlier point regarding hurricane prediction that has been contradicted by this season?

[Tim Haab]

Geez Scott...I hate when readers pay more attention to what I've said in the past than I am capable of remembering. I recalled a higher number being predicted. I was wrong. I will now fix my stupidity.

[joshua corning]

Did you read your own snippet: "fourth busiest Atlantic hurricane year since 1944", "the finish of one of the busiest and costliest hurricane seasons ever"?

NOAA cannot be a reliable source on anything these days:

http://coaps.fsu.edu/~maue/tropical/monthly_ace_24.jpg

Looks like closer to 4th slowest in the last 30 years then the 4th busiest...perhaps NOAA read the graph upside down.

[Dano]

Only joshua's energy for denialist wish fulfillment would cause him to wish that the graph he linked to refutes data used in the press release above.

Best,

D