NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Note: This report catalogs recent tropical cyclones across the North Atlantic and East Pacific and places each basin’s tropical cyclone activity in a climate-scale context. It is not updated in real time. Users seeking the real time status and forecasts of tropical cyclones should visit The National Hurricane Center.
North Atlantic
August marks a continuation of a record-long major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) landfall drought in the United States. The last major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. was Wilma on October 24, 2005. This major hurricane drought surpassed the length of the eight-years from 1861-1868 when no major hurricane struck the United States' coast. On average, a major hurricane makes landfall in the U.S. about once every three years. The reliable record of landfalling hurricanes in the U.S. dates back to 1851.
| Storm Type | August 2016 | August 1981-2010 Average | Record Most for August Period of Record: 1851-2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm (Winds > 39 mph) |
4 | 3.3 | 8 (2004) |
| Hurricane (Winds > 74 mph) |
2 | 1.6 |
5 (1893, 1995, 2004) |
| Major Hurricane (Winds > 111 mph) |
1 | 0.7 | 3 (1886, 1893, 1950, 2004) |
| Name | Dates of winds >39 mph |
Maximum Sustained Winds |
Minimum Central Pressure |
Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Earl (Cat. 1) |
August 2nd–6th | 80 mph | 979 mb | Near Belize City, Belize |
| Tropical Storm Fiona | August 17th–23rd | 50 mph | 1004 mb | N/A |
| Hurricane Gaston | August 22nd– September 3rd |
120 mph | 956 mb | N/A |
| Hurricane Hermine (Cat. 1) |
August 28th– September 3rd |
80 mph | 982 mb | Landfall near Big Bend, Florida on Sept. 3 — more info in Sept. report |
East Pacific
| Storm Type | August 2016 | August 1981-2010 Average | Record Most for August Period of Record: 1949-2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm (Winds >39 mph) |
6 | 4.2 | 8 (1968) |
| Hurricane (Winds >74 mph) |
2 | 2.2 |
6 (1972, 2016) |
| Major Hurricane (Winds >111 mph) |
2 | 1.1 | 4 (1972, 1993, 2016) |
| Name | Dates of winds >39 mph |
Maximum Sustained Winds |
Minimum Central Pressure |
Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Howard | July 31st – August 3rd |
60 mph | 999 mb | N/A |
| Tropical Storm Ivette | August 2nd– 8th | 60 mph | 1008 mb | N/A |
| Tropical Storm Javier | August 7th– 9th | 65 mph | 998 mb | N/A — storm brushed the Baja California Peninsula |
| Tropical Storm Kay | August 18th– 23rd | 50 mph | 1000 mb | N/A |
| Hurricane Lester (Cat. 4) |
August 24th – September 7th | 140 mph | 947 mb | N/A — storm passed just north of Hawaii |
| Hurricane Madeline (Cat. 4) |
August 26th– September 3rd | 130 mph | 950 mb | N/A — storm passed just south of Hawaii |