For Florida's Endangered Wildlife, Hurricanes Come With The Territory
Some animals live on tiny islands in Irma's path, and they can't evacuate.
LEARN MOREThis Hurricane Season Is As Unusual As The Huge Storms Themselves
Hurricanes Irma and Harvey are tumultuous, but projections for the rest of this hurricane season suggest it could get worse.
This Hurricane Season Is As Unusual As The Huge Storms Themselves
Getty Images / Spencer Platt
September 19, 2017
The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season is in a league of its own. Irma is now the strongest Atlantic storm on record, while Maria is the first Category 5 storm in recorded history to make landfall on the country of Dominica.
But the weirdness doesn't stop with these storms. They're only part of this year's unusually active hurricane season.
The season normally starts June 1 and ends Nov. 30. But this year marked the first time since 2003 it started in April, with Tropical Storm Arlene.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration did expect "above-normal" hurricane activity this year, but the 2017 Atlantic season is becoming one of the more historic on record. We've already seen 13 named storms and seven hurricanes.
That's a lot of activity for the Atlantic, which averaged 12 named storms and six hurricanes per season from 1981 to 2010. And since the mid-19th century, only eight other seasons had seven or more hurricanes by mid-September.
And we've only just started what NOAA calls the "season within the season"; that's the eight weeks when tropical cyclones are most active and dangerous. Over three-fourths of tropical storm days and nearly all major hurricane days happen during this time.
Experts say we could have as many as 19 tropical storms by the end of November; that would tie the third-most active Atlantic season on record.
0:45
'Destructive' tornado rips through Little Rock, Arkansas
Emergency crews said they are conducting rescue operations following a massive tornado that swept through Little Rock, Arkansas.
3:32
Severe storm system pushes east; millions under tornado watches
Powerful storms will start to roll through Friday afternoon and into the overnight hours.
2:46
Mississippi tornado: A family grieves the loss of a loved one
In the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, residents say this was all like a bad dream.
Top Stories
2:09
Families still don't know if relatives died in fire at migrant center
Mexican officials made arrests in connection to a fire that killed at least 39 migrants, but some families don't know if their relatives are dead.
3:41
Her dad is a Russian Air Force pilot, she’s an anti-Putin activist
A Russian woman in Chicago leads a group of fellow exiles against Putin and his war.
2:34
Why President Biden won't comment on Trump's indictment anytime soon
Commenting on the indictment of former President Donald Trump could have different political implications for President Joe Biden.
