2016 Atlantic hurricane season (Predictions - Sassmaster15)

The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season was an above-average season that resulted in the formation of sixteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. Due to the transition from an El Nino to a Moderate La Nina, activity was at its highest since 2012. The season ran year-round, with the formation of Hurricane Alex on January 13 and the dissipation of Subtropical Storm Richard in late December.

The season featured the highest number of hurricanes in the Atlantic since 2012, which had a total of ten hurricanes, only one less than the other season. Another highlight of 2016 was that the first Category 5 hurricane was seen in the Atlantic basin since Felix of 2007, Karl, which peaked at 180 MPH, 897 mbar, becoming one of the most intense tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, only behind Rita and Wilma, both of 2005.

A large portion of the storms caused significant damage, with the first storm (Nicole) making landfall in the U.S. at major hurricane intensity since Wilma of 2005. In addition, several other major and non-major hurricanes, including Fiona, Hermine, Karl, and Paula all making landfall in places around the Atlantic at or near peak intensity, causing significant damage.

January & February
On January 13, an extratropical low pushing east across the Northern Atlantic developed into what became known as Hurricane Alex, the first named storm in January since Hurricane One of 1938. The precursor to the system brought 60 MPH winds and heavy rainfall to Bermuda, and then took on tropical characteristics on January 13, nearing the Azores. Alex, after causing minimal damages in the Azores, shifted WNW as it turned extratropical, dissipating two days later on January 15.

February remained a quiet month, as no other systems or invests developed during the month.

May & June
Tropical Storm Bonnie developed on May 22, after a very quiet period with no activity during the months of February, March, or April. Bonnie first developed near the Bahamas before making a complete loop in the Central Gulf, peaking at 50 MPH, prior to making landfall in Cedar Key, Florida, causing minimal damage with moderate winds and steady rain, eventually leading to moderate coastal flooding in the area, dissipating soon after, with the extratropical remnants of Bonnie making landfall in Nova Scotia, where further damage from the storm would occur.

June proved to be an active month, as three named storms formed during the month, of which two reached hurricane status. Hurricane Colin was the first of the June storms, becoming a hurricane a day after formation on June 12, eventually peaking at 80 MPH, south of Bermuda, before shifting ENE, skirting the island with rain showers prior to becoming extratropical, with the storm's remnants making landfall in Ireland, having caused very minimal damage. Tropical Storm Danielle was the fourth named storm of the season, developing near the Bahamas and traveling along the coast of the Eastern United States prior to turning extratropical near Iceland. Hurricane Earl was the first major hurricane of the season, developing Northeast of Turks and Caicos and making several loops in the western portion of the Northern Atlantic, skimming Bermuda but never making landfall there. Earl also produced indirect effects on the U.S., when large swells from the storm reportedly overturned several boats, resulting in the deaths of several people. Earl began to shift ENE near Nova Scotia as it turned extratropical later dissipating, going on to cause damage in the UK and as far east as Russia. The end of June concluded with the dissipation of Subtropical Depression Six, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico, later caused rain showers in Florida before entering the Northern Atlantic and being absorbed by a frontal system only a day later.

July & August
July was slightly less active than the previous month, with only two named storms forming: Fiona, a classic Cape Verde major hurricane that peaked at Category 4 intensity, followed by Gaston, a short-lived tropical storm that formed in the Caribbean and dissipated after landfalling in Texas. Hurricane Fiona developed from a Cape Verde tropical wave on July 11 and began to explosively intensify as it traveled west over the Central Atlantic. Fiona peaked at 145 MPH near Turks and Caicos prior to turning North and hitting Bermuda as a high-end Category 2 hurricane. Fiona then turned extratropical, remaining at C1 strength and then made a direct landfall on Nova Scotia, dissipating entirely as it was absorbed by a frontal system over Prince Edward Island. Tropical Storm Gaston developed in the Caribbean and eventually made landfall over the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and the Yucatán Peninsula as a 35 MPH depression, resulting in light damage. The system then strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico, eventually becoming a 45 MPH tropical storm that made landfall near Houston, Texas.

Hurricane Alex
Taken from Wikipedia

On January 7, the National Hurricane Center noted the potential for an extratropical low about 425 mi (685 km) west-southwest of Bermuda to gain subtropical or tropical characteristics over subsequent days, as it tracked across the central Atlantic. Convection began to coalesce near the center of the low on January 13, leading to the formation of Subtropical Storm Alex about 785 miles (1,260 km) south-southwest of the Azores, at 21:00 UTC. Alex is the first tropical or subtropical storm to form in January since 1978, and only the fourth known tropical or subtropical cyclone formation during the month on record. When Alex became a hurricane at 15:00 UTC on January 14, it marked only the second recorded hurricane formation in January, with the other being Hurricane One in 1938. On January 15, the NHC issued its last advisory on Hurricane Alex, as the system transitioned back into an extratropical cyclone. On January 17, Alex was absorbed by another extratropical cyclone, in the southern Labrador Sea.

Subtropical Depression Six
On June 29, an area of low-pressure associated with a frontal system crossing the Central Atlantic began to merge around a steadily deepening core.