Hurricane Season 2014 Review – The Below Average Season Is OVER!

November 30th was the official end of the 2014 Hurricane Season!! This season as predicted by most was a very slow below average season marking another year without a major hurricane hitting the United States. It has now been a record breaking nine years since a major Hurricane (Cat 3 or higher) has hit the U.S. coast! That was Hurricane Wilma in 2005 (Sandy was not a Hurricane when it hit the northeast coastline in 2012). On the other hand the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season has had its busiest season in over 20 years. Usually I find when the E Pac has a busy above average season then the Atlantic will have a slow season and vise versa. Many forecasters this year made their prediction of a below average season on the fact that an El Niño would form in the Eastern Pacific but that never happened. A quiet Atlantic hurricane season often occurs during an El Niño year, because the climate pattern triggers conditions that inhibit hurricanes. El Niño's failure to launch meant the phenomenon had little impact on Atlantic hurricanes and I find the major reason for the slow season was the strong wind shear, atmospheric instability, dry air and convergence across the Atlantic... similiar to the 2013 season. A slow season is a good season in my book!