NOTE:
Global data
prior to 1985
have larger
uncertainties,
but
any landfalls
during the
satellite era
of observations
are very unlikely
to have been
missed.
Comprehensive
data on landfalling
tropical cyclones,
in ocean basins
around the world,
are available
since 1970.
The further back in time,
the greater the chances
that figures are going
to be underestimates.
SUMMARY:
Real world data tell us
global warming is NOT
making hurricanes worse.
Last year had
17 total storms,
with 7 of them
making landfall
as major
hurricanes.
A new study,
by Roger Pielke Jr
and Ryan Maue,
based on global
landfall data
since 1970,
has confirmed
this yet again:
Every landfalling
hurricane poses
significant risks
to life and property,
but major hurricanes
are responsible
for the most damage.
Tropical cyclones
that never reach
hurricane strength
can also create
massive damage
through heavy
rains and flooding.
Typhoons Hagibis and
Faxai struck Japan,
together causing
more than $26 billion
in losses and
Typhoon Lekima
caused more than
$8 billion in losses
across Asia.
Tropical cyclones,
called hurricanes
in the Atlantic, and
eastern Pacific
between Hawaii
and Mexico, are
responsible for the
greatest amount
of damage among
weather and climate
related events.
The storms
that cause
the most risk
to human life, and
property damage,
are those that
make landfall,
technically
defined
as occurring
when the eye
of a tropical
cyclone
passes over
the coastline.
Storms with winds
of at least 74
miles-per-hour
( 119 kilometers-per-hour )
are classified as
hurricane strength,
and those with winds
of 111 miles-per-hour
( 178 kilometers-per-hour )
or greater are classified
as major hurricane strength.
Each year there are
about 45 tropical
cyclones that reach
hurricane strength
and about one third
of those go on
to make landfall.
Of those 45 storms,
about 25 storms
reach major
hurricane
strength
and 5 of them
make landfall.
There is no obvious
trend in the data below:
Below are many
summary statistics
on
landfalling hurricanes,
from 1970 to 2019:
( probably more than you ever wanted to know ! )
Total landfalls
1970-2019:
772,
( 520 were Categories 1 & 2,
and 252 were Category 3+ )
Total landfalls
2010-2019:
148
Landfalls per year:
15 (median),
15.4 (average),
4.3 (standard deviation)
Categories 1 & 2 at landfall:
10, median
10.4, average
3.7 s.d.
Category 3+ at landfall:
5, median
5.0, average
2.6 s.d.
Most total landfalls
in one year:
30 (1971)
Fewest total landfalls
in one year:
7 (1978)
Most Category 3+ landfalls
in one year:
11 (2015)
Fewest Category 3+
landfalls in one year:
0 (1981)
Most total landfalls
over a 10-year period:
177 (1988-1997)
Fewest total landfalls
over a 10-year period:
120 (1975-1984)
Most Category 3+ landfalls
over a 10-year period:
65 (1999-2008)
Fewest Category 3+ landfalls
over a 10-year period:
33 (1972-1981, and 1978-1987)
Total Category 3+
landfalls 2010-2019:
60