Hurricane climatic fluctuations. Part I: patterns and cycles.

Abstract

Hurricane records for 1899 through 1978 are used to determine the numbers of hurricanes during the period August through October of each year that were present in the Atlantic. The Atlantic basis is subdivided into four geographic regions: the Central Atlantic, E Coast, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. The results are related to the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in monthly hurricane numbers and in the strength and position of the N Atlantic subtropical high found by Angell et al (1969). It is found that the maximum in E Coast hurricane incidence occurs at the phase of the QBO when the subtropical high is at its farthest NE displacement. -from Author