{"id":70816,"date":"2026-09-23T04:06:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T04:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?p=70816"},"modified":"2026-09-23T04:06:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T04:06:16","slug":"its-almost-the-end-of-september-where-are-all-the-hurricanes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upndownbeirut.com\/?p=70816","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s almost the end of September. Where are all the hurricanes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

As of this writing, there have been only six named storms this Atlantic hurricane season, and most of them only lasted a couple of days. So what’s going on? Where’s all the hurricane activity?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Normally we have to blame like four or five different things, but this year, I think we really can pretty much put all the blame on El Ni\u00f1o,<\/span><\/q> said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a very, very strong event.<\/span><\/q><\/span><\/p>\n

Advertisement-Report<\/span><\/p>\n

It turns out the super<\/span><\/q> El Ni\u00f1o that is under way is putting a clamp on Atlantic hurricane activity.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o is part of a natural cycle called the\u00a0El Ni\u00f1o-Southern Oscillation\u00a0(new window)<\/span>\u00a0(ENSO), involving water in the central Pacific Ocean as well as atmospheric winds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the water becomes 0.5 C warmer than average over a particular time frame, it indicates an El Ni\u00f1o event. Water that is -0.5 C cooler than average indicates a La Ni\u00f1a event. The repercussions of these oscillations can be felt around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And right now, there is an El Ni\u00f1o advisory, with several models suggesting this could be a historic event.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The anomalies are getting so strong that we might see stronger than 2.4 C anomaly, which is our historical record that was set back in 1982 and 1983 winter. And we’re predicting possibly 2.6 to 2.7 C anomalies,<\/span><\/q> said Lindsey Long, a meteorologist with the Climate Prediction Center at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, a very strong event, [with a] 75 per cent chance of being historical. We have over 90 per cent chance of it being very strong, which is the highest in our category here at NOAA.<\/span><\/q><\/span><\/p>\n

WATCH | I’ve tracked El Ni\u00f1o for years. I’ve never seen this before:<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n