Back to Tropical Cyclones Climatology Page | Back to Main FAQ Page
Subject: G1) When is hurricane season ? The Atlantic hurricane season is officially from 1 June to 30 November. There is nothing magical in these dates, and hurricanes have occured outside of these six months, but these dates were selected to emcompass over 97% of tropical activity. The Atlantic basin shows a very peaked season from August through October, with 78% of the tropical storm days, 87% of the minor (Saffir-Simpson Scale categories 1 and 2 - see Subject D1) hurricane days, and 96% of the major (Saffir-Simpson categories 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days occurring then (Landsea 1993). Maximum activity is in early to mid September. Once in a few years there may be a tropical cyclone occurring "out of season" - primarily in May or December. (For more detailed information, see Subject G13 - "What is my chance of having a tropical storm or hurricane strike by each month?") The Northeast Pacific basin has a broader peak with activity beginning in late May or early June and going until late October or early November with a peak in storminess in late August/early September. The Northwest Pacific basin has tropical cyclones occurring all year round regularly though there is a distinct minimum in February and the first half of March. The main season goes from July to November with a peak in late August/early September. The North Indian basin has a double peak of activity in May and November though tropical cyclones are seen from April to December. The severe cyclonic storms (>33 m/s winds [76 mph]) occur almost exclusively from April to June and late September to early December. The Southwest Indian and Australian/Southeast Indian basins have very similar annual cycles with tropical cyclones beginning in late October/early November, reaching a double peak in activity - one in mid-January and one in mid-February to early March, and then ending in May. The Australian/Southeast Indian basin February lull in activity is a bit more pronounced than the Southwest Indian basin's lull. The Australian/Southwest Pacific basin begin with tropical cyclone activity in late October/early November, reaches a single peak in late February/early March, and then fades out in early May. Globally, September is the most active month and May is the least active month. (Neumann 1993) Back to Tropical Cyclones Climatology Page | Back to Main FAQ Page
On June 1, hurricane season in the  and surrounding areas will commence, signaling the potential for a tropical storm to develop at any time. After last year's relatively quiet season, with only nine named cyclones, meteorologists are on-guard for increased activity over the upcoming summer and autumn. Hurricane season runs until November 30, and while storms are known to have developed at practically any time of the year, most tend to form within those bounds. The peak of hurricane season is considered to be within the month of September. 

In 2009, a weather pattern known as  in the Pacific Ocean and dust from Africa prevented many storms from developing. However, both of these inhibiting factors are relenting, and waters in some parts of the ocean are abnormally warm. As a result, forecasters are concerned that the 2010 season may be significantly more dangerous, comparing it to previous destructive periods, such as 1969, 1998 and 2005. In an exclusive interview, a ''Wikinews'' reporter talks with  hurricane expert Dr. Phil Klotzbach on the upcoming hurricane season.