The Atlantic hurricane season has set a new record by not having a single hurricane form by September 11, a first since reliable records began. This unusual calm is expected to continue, with no hurricanes likely in the coming week. The lack of hurricanes is attributed to El Niño, a climate phenomenon that alters wind patterns and increases wind shear over the Atlantic, preventing storm development. Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific, including Hawaii, has experienced more storms due to decreased wind shear. This year’s El Niño is particularly strong and may be influenced by climate change, potentially leading to more intense weather events. Despite the current calm, meteorologist Michael Lowry suggests that hurricanes may still form later in the season, as no season since 1950 has ended without one.
QUESTION: How might the changing patterns of hurricane activity due to phenomena like El Niño impact communities living in coastal areas?
The Atlantic hurricane season just quietly broke a new weather record
