Annual 2006 Tropical Cyclones Report

Averages:
The recent average (1995-2005) seasonal activity in the North Atlantic basin is 13 named storms, 7.7 hurricanes and 3.6 major hurricanes. These values represent an increase over the average of the preceding 25 years (1970-1994) of 8.6 named storms, 5 hurricanes and 1.5 major hurricanes.

2006 season summary:
While the 2006 season did not officially begin until June 1st, Tropical Storm Zeta, which formed on December 30th, 2005 persisted until January 5th of this year, making it the first storm of 2006 in the Atlantic basin. However, the first storm of the official 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was Tropical Storm Alberto, which was named on June 11th off the coast of Cuba. Alberto made landfall on June 13th near Apalachee Bay, FL, and it's overall ACE value was 2.64 x 10⁴ kt². Since then, the Atlantic season has been much quieter than had been initially forecast. Hurricane Gordon became the first major hurricane of the Atlantic season on September 13th, but did not make landfall. Isaac was the last named storm during the 2006 season. Prior to its dissipation in early October, Isaac brushed the Bermuda coast as a category 1 storm.

For the season, there were 5 hurricanes (2 major) and 4 tropical storms: a below-average season when compared with the recent 1995-2005 average, yet similar to the average of the preceeding 25 years (1970-1994) listed in the paragraph above. Only 2 storms made landfall with the mainland U.S. during 2006, Tropical Storm Alberto in Florida and Hurricane Ernesto as a tropical storm in Florida and North Carolina. For additional information on individual storms, please see the summaries below. For statistics on the Atlantic storm season, please see NCDC's 2006 Atlantic basin Tropical Cyclone page.

Pacific Basin

Averages: The average seasonal activity in the East Pacific Basin is 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes.

NOAA's ACE Index Click for larger image

2006 season summary: Nineteen named storms formed in the East Pacific Hurricane basin during the 2006 season, which is above average. Eleven of these storms were classified as hurricanes and 6 storms were major hurricanes (category 3-5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale). Perhaps the most notable hurricane of the season was Ioke, which became a category 5 hurricane on August 26th. Ioke crossed the International Date Line into the western Pacific, the first category 5 storm to do this since 1994. Super Typhoon Ioke continued on a westerly track before weakening. For more information on Ioke, see the August summary below. Three tropical storms made landfall in Mexico during the 2006 season. John was a category 2 storm when it came ashore near the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula in August. Hurricane Lane was the strongest storm to make landfall in the East Pacific during the 2006 season. This storm was a category 3 when it hit land in the Sinaloa State of Mexico in mid-September. Hurricane John came ashore as a tropical depression in October also in Sinaloa. In November, Tropical Storm Rosa and Hurricane Sergio formed: the first time since the 1961 season two named storms formed in November in the East North Pacific basin. Sergio strengthened into a strong category 2 storm and became the strongest hurricane to form or exist in this basin during the month of November. For additional information on these and all the 2006 season storms, see the summaries below. More statistical information may be found on NCDC's 2006 Northeast Pacific Tropical Cyclone statistics page.