The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season has not only been super active so far, but also super unlucky. In some past busy hurricane seasons, land areas have avoided some of the most extreme storms, but this year they have been a magnet.
Brenden Moses, a researcher at the National Hurricane Center, found that of all Category 5 landfalls on record in the Atlantic since 1851, one-quarter have occurred this season. This is a remarkable statistic.
However, it’s important to remember monitoring of hurricanes was much more difficult before the advent of weather satellites in the late 1960s and storms may have been missed. That said, there is no precedent in the last half century of Category 5 storms striking land so frequently in the same season.
In 2017, there have been six Category 5 landfalls in the Atlantic Basin. Five by Irma, one by Maria. pic.twitter.com/D6opxInaT0
— Dakota Smith (@weatherdak) September 21, 2017
Category 5 hurricanes are the most destructive storms on Earth, bearing peak winds of at least 157 mph. The National Hurricane Center offers this description of the destruction they leave behind, which is consistent with what we’ve witnessed with this year’s storms:
A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Here is a visual look back at the half dozen Category 5 landfall cases in 2017 so far. In each case, we have obtained satellite imagery with the storm’s calm eye centered over the affected land area, but surrounded by a violent ring of thunderstorms where the storm’s most destructive winds are concentrated. (Note that if we were to add Category 4 landfalls to this set, the number of areas affected would grow much larger.)
Hurricane Irma over Barbuda, Sept. 5
From space
On the ground
Hurricane Irma over St. Martin and Anguilla, Sept. 6
From space
On the ground
Aerial footage shows the sheer devastation in St. Martin caused by Hurricane #Irma barreling through. https://t.co/0lxfkjCMnJ pic.twitter.com/cgPS6PddUd
— ABC News (@ABC) September 7, 2017
Hurricane Irma over Virgin Gorda and Tortola, Sept. 6
From space
On the ground
Last week, Irma's eye grazed the island of Tortola, practically leveling the capital, Road Town. More before/after: https://t.co/Eg6wN6En9K pic.twitter.com/pmHQ9HWkMu
— Post Graphics (@PostGraphics) September 11, 2017
Hurricane Irma over Little Inagua, Southeast Bahamas, Sept. 8
From space
On the ground
Mercifully, this island is not populated and is a Bahamian National Park.
Hurricane Irma over Cayo Romano, Cuba, Sept. 8
From space
On the ground
Dominica, Sept. 18
From space
On the ground
Aerial view captures extensive damage on the island of Dominica after Hurricane #Maria barreled through. https://t.co/ke0cxWMGHe pic.twitter.com/aOdBg8CbIp
— ABC News (@ABC) September 21, 2017
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