Active 2011 Hurricane Season Comes to an End

Today, November 30th, officially ends the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season. This year's active season of 19 named tropical systems will go down as the third-highest total since records began in 1851 and is well above the average of 11. Of the 19 tropical storms, seven became hurricanes, three of which became major hurricanes (Cat 3 or higher) that remained offshore. And as far as land-falling major hurricanes, 2011 marks six straight years without one hitting the U.S. The last one to do so was Wilma in 2005. Irene was the lone hurricane to hit the United States in 2011, and the first to do so since Ike struck Texas in 2008. Irene was the most significant tropical system to strike the Northeast since Hurricane Bob in 1991.

-KW