2013 Ranks As One Of The Least Active U.S. Weather Years

19 Oct, 2013 by William Teach

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I’m sure Warmists will find a way to blame this on Mankind’s output of greenhouse gases, particularly CO2. Probably because you, dear reader, drove a fossil fueled vehicle and refuse to unplug every appliance before you go to work. Or, perhaps they’ll flip back to their talking point that weather is not climate (via Climate Depot)

(SI Organization) There have been many forecasts in the news in recent years predicting more and more extreme weather-related events in the US, but for 2013 that prediction has been way off the mark. Whether you’re talking about tornadoes, wildfires, extreme heat or hurricanes, the good news is that weather-related disasters in the US are all way down this year compared to recent years and, in some cases, down to historically low levels.

Tornadoes
To begin with, the number of tornadoes in the US this year is on pace to be the lowest total since 2000 and it may turn out to be the lowest total in several decades. The table below lists the number of tornadoes in the US for this year (through 10/17) and also for each year going back to 2000.
(Source: NOAA, http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html)

Just 771 tornadoes. Previous low was 938 in 2002.

Wildfires are at lowest levels of numbers since 2004. Acres burned is 2nd lowest. Actually, this is the slowest season by count since 1985.

Extreme Heat
In addition to wildfires, extreme heat is also way down across the US this year. In fact, the number of 100 degree days across the country during 2013 is not only down for this year, but it is perhaps going to turn out to be the lowest in about 100 years of records (chart below).

The five summers with the highest number of 100 degree days across the US are as follows: 1936, 1934, 1954, 1980 and 1930. In addition to the vast reduction in 100 degree days across the US this year, the number of high temperature records (ie hi max and hi min records) is way down compared to a year ago with 22,965 records this year as compared with 56,885 at this same time last year.
(Source: NOAA, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/records/; through 10/17).

Here in Raleigh we had zero 100 degree days. Average is 4-5. We didn’t even have that many high 90’s days. Then we get to hurricanes

Finally, as far as hurricanes are concerned and keeping in mind that the season isn’t over yet, there have been only two hurricanes so far this year in the Atlantic Basin (Humberto and Ingrid) and they were both short-lived and weak category 1 storms. Also, the first forming hurricane this year occurred at the second latest date going back to the mid 1940’s when hurricane hunters began to fly. Overall, the tropical season in the Atlantic Basin has been generally characterized by short-lived and weak systems.

In addition, this suppressed tropical activity has not been confined to just the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern Pacific Ocean has had no major hurricanes this season meaning there has been no major hurricane in either the Atlantic or eastern Pacific which only occurred one other year in recorded history — 1968. This is actually quite extraordinary since the two basins are generally out of phase with each other i.e. when one is inactive the other is active.

The article author, Paul Dorian, also notes that Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) is extremely low. And low around the world. Make sure to read how (yes, a little trick to get you to click over to the article itself and give them web-hits). Along with the reduced activity, there have still been no major hurricanes (cat 3+) making landfall since 2005 (Wilma, October 24th). Also, there haven’t even been any major hurricanes to develop in the Atlantic nor eastern Pacific during 2013.

Since 2008, there has only been one US landfalling hurricane (Sandy was not a hurricane at landfall), and one could argue that Isaac was only a strong tropical storm at landfall.

Warmists love pushing the “extreme weather” meme. Yet, extreme weather (or, what was previously known as “the weather”) is not getting worse. Well, maybe some of the winter weather is getting stronger over the past 5 years. Which Warmists blame on, that’s right, greenhouse gases. Hence the change from “global warming” to “climate change”, so they can blame everything on Mankind. While still refusing to making substantive changes in their own lives.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.