It’s November 30th, and we can officially say that we have survived another Atlantic hurricane season.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season spans from June 1st to November 30th every year, and the 2021 season saw significantly more activity than normal. This year is just the third in history to use all the names on the rotating seasonal list, with a remarkable 21 named storms, seven hurricanes and four major hurricanes. For comparison, an average season typically has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Eight storms hit the US this hurricane season, which is less than the 12 storms that made landfall in 2020 but is a marked uptick from the average three to four landfalls.
A major hurricane is defined as a Category 3 or stronger, and this season saw four major storms develop: Grace (Category 3), Ida (Category 4), Larry (Category 3) and Sam (Category 4). Thankfully, two of these storms spun off into the Atlantic and the United States only experienced one major hurricane this season with Ida. Hurricane Ida saw maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, and our thoughts are still with the people of Louisiana, New Jersey and New York as they rebuild from that disaster.
There were four storms that caused over $1 billion in damage – Tropical Storm Elsa, Tropical Storm Fred, Hurricane Ida and Hurricane Nicholas. The damage from Ida alone is anticipated to exceed $65 billion, ranking among the top five costliest hurricanes on record since 1980. An estimated 95 people lost their lives to the storm, an omnipresent reminder of how important hurricane protection and preparation can be.
The IHPA is a not-for-profit organization which unites and represents the Hurricane Protection Industry. We are comprised of suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, architects, engineers, testing laboratories, governmental agencies and code writers dedicated to the protection of life and property from the devastation associated with hurricanes.
We seek to insure the publics’ safety and welfare by endorsing the testing and approval of legitimate hurricane protection systems and through information and educational programs.