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The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season since 2005. Overall, the season produced 20 tropical cyclones, with 17 attaining tropical storm status, 8 attaining hurricane intensity, and four attaining major hurricane intensity. The season, per convention, officially starts June 1 and ends November 30 - as these pre-defined dates typically delimit tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic basin. However, as demonstrated by the atypical formations of Subtropical Storm Andrea in early May and Tropical Storm Pablo in December, tropical cyclone formation is possible any time of the year. Additionally, with these two occurrences, 2007 became the first since 2003 to feature both pre- and post-season activity. The most significant storm of the season, Hurricane Dean, is tied with Hurricane Camille for the sixth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, and is ranked as the third-strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane. In addition, the 2007 season is only one of five on record with more than one Category 5 storm. The season, in combination with 1992, is the second known occurrence of an Atlantic hurricane, Felix, and a Pacific hurricane, Henriette, making landfall on the same day. Another record tied by this season was for featuring eight named storms in the month of September. Overall, the season is considered the most active and destructive since the 2005 season.
Pre-season forecasts by Colorado State University called for 14 named storms and 7 hurricanes, of which three were expected to attain major hurricane status. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) later issued its initial forecast, which predicted 13 to 17 named storms, 7 to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes. After several revisions in the projected number of storms, NOAA and CSU upped their forecasts by the middle of the season.
Several storms severely affected land. Both Hurricanes Dean and Felix made landfall at Category 5 intensity, causing cataclysmic destruction in parts of Mexico and Central America, respectively. Due to this, 2007 is the only on record to feature two storms make landfall at Category 5 strength. Meanwhile, Hurricane Lorenzo struck the Leeward Islands with unprecedented ferocity. Another strong hurricane, Noel, ravaged the Greater Antilles, while its successor, Olga, compounded damage in the Caribbean in Noel's wake. Ultimately, all five of the aforementioned names were retired due to their severe destruction. Other areas affected include the United States, which endured seven landfalls this year, two of which at hurricane intensity, and Atlantic Canada, though all impacts were minimal. Elsewhere, tropical cyclone effects were localized due in part to the plethora of weak landfalls observed this season. Collectively, storms this season killed at least 1,520 people and caused approximately $8.01 billion (2007 USD) in damage.
The season commenced with Subtropical Storm Andrea, an early-forming system that had minimal impact across the southeast United States. In early June, Tropical Storm Barry rapidly strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico and struck Florida near peak intensity. Tropical Depression Three followed later that month, never affecting land. In July, Tropical Depression Four led an ephemeral life, never striking land. In mid-July, an unnamed tropical storm formed in the Bay of Campeche, striking Veracruz with localized effects. The system was recognized as a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in post-analysis. At the end of the month, Tropical Storm Chantal brushed Bermuda and struck Newfoundland, causing heavy damage but no fatalities. In mid-August, Hurricane Dean caused a long swath of damage across the Caribbean Sea as a powerful Category 5 hurricane, becoming the first hurricane of its intensity in the basin since Hurricane Wilma. Simultaneously active was Tropical Storm Erin, a weak storm that struck Texas and intensified inland, possibly due to the Brown Ocean Effect.
At the end of August was Hurricane Felix, an exceptionally powerful Category 5 hurricane that ravaged Nicaragua. Tropical Storm Gabrielle followed, having minimal impact as it meandered near the North Carolina coastline. Subsequent to Gabrielle was Ingrid, a Category 2 hurricane that had minimal effects on land. The system that spawned Hurricane Humberto formed after the wave that became Ingrid, but the former was named prior. Humberto was a rapidly intensifying storm that struck Texas at peak strength. Later that month was Tropical Storm Jerry, a weak system with minimal impact across the Florida panhandle. In later September, Tropical Storm Karen attained a near hurricane-strength peak intensity and never affected land. Later that month, Hurricane Lorenzo swept across the Leeward Islands, becoming the worst natural disaster for the region since Hurricane Luis. Lorenzo also had effects on the British overseas territory of Bermuda as it passed to the west while rapidly weakening. Hurricane Melissa was a small but rapidly developing tropical cyclone that struck Veracruz near peak strength.
Hurricane Noel, an atypically intense Category 4 hurricane, was the final named storm of the very active month. The hurricane slammed Haiti near peak strength and resulted in extensive damage as it advanced up the United States Eastern Seaboard. The short-lived Tropical Depression Seventeen developed in October, never affecting land. Later that month, Hurricane Olga severely compounded damage in the Caribbean in Noel's wake, growing to an enormous size as it turned extratropical while maintaining hurricane-force winds. Olga ultimately struck Nova Scotia as a hurricane-strength extratropical cyclone, causing moderate damage. In December, Tropical Storm Pablo swept across the Greater Antilles and exacerbated damage sustained by the region, particularly Hispaniola. Pablo's remnants also brought rain to Cuba, the Yucatán, and Florida.
Activity[]
Typically, every Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, while the unorthodox formation of Subtropical Storm Andrea on May 9 marked the first Atlantic pre-season tropical cyclone since Tropical Storm Ana in 2003. Overall, the season was the most active since 2005, with 20 tropical cyclones, 17 named storms, eight hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. June featured two systems, Barry, which formed on the official start of the season, and tropical depression later that month. July was also somewhat active, featuring two tropical storms, an unnamed system and Chantal, as well as a tropical depression. August featured only three storms, including the strongest storm of the season (Dean), a tropical storm (Erin), and another intense hurricane (Felix). Due to a weak La Niña in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, the season saw intense, above-average activity. This season, twelve cyclones made landfall, resulting in nearly $8 billion in damage and >1,500 fatalities. Hurricane Lorenzo also caused extensive losses and fatalities, despite never making landfall.
September was most active, featuring a record-tying number of eight named storms. Of these, five acquired hurricane status - Ingrid, Humberto, Lorenzo, Melissa, and Noel. Two of these storms - Lorenzo and Noel - further obtained major hurricane intensity (Category 3 or higher according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale). Additionally, September observed the latter half of Hurricane Felix's lifespan. Activity decreased as October progressed, but witnessed the majority of Hurricanes Lorenzo and Noel, both of which formed in the previous month. October featured two cyclonic developments, a short-lived tropical depression and Hurricane Olga. November featured no named storms. The final development ensued in December, with Tropical Storm Pablo - the first post-season tropical cyclone in the Atlantic since 2005's Zeta. The season officially concluded upon Pablo's extratropical transition on December 13, 2007.
Impact[]
The 2007 season was destructive, primarily due to the effects of the major hurricanes and Category 1 Hurricane Olga. The United States experienced seven landfalls, two of which were at hurricane strength. Hurricane Noel caused at least $1.2 billion in damage as it struck North Carolina as a minimal hurricane, and killed at least 22 people. Hurricane Humberto struck High Island, Texas at peak intensity, causing an unexpectedly great degree of destruction. Minimal impact was also reported from Tropical Storms Barry, Gabrielle, Jerry, and the remnants of Tropical Storm Pablo, in addition to Hurricanes Lorenzo and Olga, both of which had indirect effects in the form of rough surf and overwash in coastal areas. Tropical Storm Erin had minor impact as it made landfall in Texas, but intensified inland to near hurricane-force, causing extreme wind damage. Atlantic Canada encountered several near-misses, all of which culminated in minor damage. The most significant effects were felt in Nova Scotia from Extratropical Storm Olga, which made landfall in the nation with hurricane-force winds. Even so, damage in the nation from that storm was generally inconsequential. Bermuda was another location that escaped with generally insignificant damage. The territory was brushed on three occasions, though Hurricane Lorenzo subjected the territory to sustained tropical storm-force winds and gigantic waves, the latter of which culminated in at least $50,000 (2007 USD) worth of damage.
Areas throughout the Caribbean bore the brunt of this season's impact. Areas throughout Mexico, particularly the Yucatán Peninsula, and Central America sustained the most cataclysmic destruction. Slight damage was reported from an unnamed tropical storm as well as Barry's precursor disturbance, the latter of which gave heavy rain to Playa del Carmen. The worst of the effects were felt from Hurricane Dean, which made landfall near the Quintana Roo-Belize border at maximum strength - the first landfalling Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic since Andrew. Additionally, Hurricane Melissa struck Veracruz as a minimal hurricane, causing extensive wind and flood damage.
Records[]
The most noteworthy aspect of the 2007 season is that it is the only on record to feature two storms making landfall at Category 5 intensity. Hurricane Felix was also the first major hurricane to strike Central America since Hurricane Joan. In addition, Hurricane Humberto features the fastest rate of intensification than any other North Atlantic tropical cyclone prior to landfall. Hurricane Noel was the strongest Atlantic hurricane to strike Haiti since Hurricane Cleo, having struck as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Subtropical Storm Andrea's formation on May 9 marked the earliest formation of an Atlantic tropical cyclone since 2003's Tropical Storm Ana. Tropical Storm Pablo's unexpected formation in early December made it the first post-season tropical cyclone in the Atlantic since Tropical Storm Zeta. With the occurrence of the two aforementioned systems, 2007 became the first season since 2003 to feature pre- and post-season activity. The season itself was also the basin's most active, as well as destructive, since 2005.
Accumulated Cyclone Energy[]
The season's activity was reflected with a high ACE value of TBA. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 39 mph (63 km/h), which is tropical storm strength. Subtropical cyclones, such as Andrea and the initial portion of Tropical Storm Pablo, are excluded from the total ACE value.
The following names were used for storms that formed in the Atlantic basin in this year. This is the same list used in the 2001 season except for Andrea, Ingrid, and Melissa, which replaced Allison, Iris, and Michelle, respectively, and were first used in 2007. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dean
Erin
Felix
Gabrielle
Humberto
Ingrid
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Noel
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah (unused)
Sebastien (unused)
Tanya (unused)
Van (unused)
Wendy (unused)
Retirement[]
On May 13, 2008, at the 30th Session of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee, the WMO retired the names Dean, Felix, Lorenzo, Noel, and Olga from its rotating name lists. Because five names were retired, the season tied with 2005 for the highest amount of names retired within an individual season. The name Pablo was also considered for retirement due to its unprecedented impact in Hispaniola, but was kept due to its corresponding damages deemed "insufficient for retirement". The names Dorian, Fernand, Leonel, Nestor, and Odila were chosen to replace the aforesaid retired names for the 2013 season, respectively.
Yucatán Peninsula, United States (Texas, Oklahoma)
$256.1 million
2 (12)
Felix
August 28– September 5
Category 5 hurricane
175
914
Windward Islands, ABC Islands, Venezuela, Central America (Nicaragua, Honduras)
~$900 million
153 (5)
Gabrielle
September 8– September 11
Tropical storm
50
1002
United States (North Carolina)
Minor
None
Ingrid
September 11– September 19
Category 2 hurricane
110
966
Cape Verde, Leeward Islands
Minimal
None
Humberto
September 12– September 14
Category 1 hurricane
95
986
United States (Texas, Louisiana)
>$67.8 million
2 (1)
Jerry
September 20– September 22
Tropical storm
40
1004
United States (Florida, Georgia)
$6 million
None
Karen
September 22– September 26
Tropical storm
70
994
Cape Verde, Lesser Antilles
None
None
Lorenzo
September 24– October 5
Category 4 hurricane
135
944
Cape Verde, Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Atlantic Canada (Newfoundland)
$2.3 billion
36 (18)
Melissa
September 25– September 28
Category 1 hurricane
80
988
Yucatán, Mexico (Veracruz)
$94.5 million
10 (4)
Noel
September 28- October 10
Category 4 hurricane
145
933
Lesser Antilles, ABC Islands, Hispaniola (Haiti), Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, United States (South Carolina, North Carolina)
$4.85 billion
>850
Seventeen
October 10– October 13
Tropical depression
35
1010
None
None
None
Olga
October 27– November 3
Category 1 hurricane
85
975
Leeward Islands, Greater Antilles (Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Cuba), Bahamas, United States (Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia), Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia)
