The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season concluded having produced 21 named storms with winds of 39 mph or greater, including seven hurricanes (winds 74 mph or greater), four of which were major hurricanes (winds 111 mph or greater).
This was the third most-active year on record for named storms and the sixth straight above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. It is also the first time two consecutive hurricane seasons used the entire list of 21 storm names, according to a release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“NOAA provided the science and services necessary to protect life and property before, during, and after storms all season long,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in the release. “From essential observations to advanced warnings to critical response actions, NOAA supports communities so they are ready, responsive and resilient to the impact of tropical cyclones each and every hurricane season.”
The number of storms was above average and accurately predicted by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, in its May and August outlooks, the release said.
The increased hurricane activity in recent years, scientists believe, is due to the warm phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.
“The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation is thought to be driven by a combination of internal climate variability and changes over time in small airborne particles, often referred to as aerosols, over the North Atlantic,” the release said. “However, the relative contributions of internal variability and aerosols to the observed Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation remain uncertain.”
This also marked the seventh consecutive year a named storm occurred before the official start of the storm season on June 1, the NOAA said. Tropical storm Andres formed in the East Pacific on May 9, 2021.
The 2022 hurricane season begins on June 1. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center plans to issue its initial seasonal outlook in May.
