Timeline of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season

Timeline of the
2016 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedJanuary 12, 2016
Last system dissipatedNovember 25, 2016[nb 1]
Strongest system
NameMatthew
Maximum winds165 mph (270 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure934 mbar (hPa; 27.58 inHg)
Longest lasting system
NameNicole
Duration14 days
Storm articles
Other years
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual tropical cyclone season in the north Atlantic Ocean. It was the costliest, as well as the first above-average, Atlantic hurricane season since the 2012 season.[nb 2] It featured the highest number of deaths since the 2008 season and also yielded the highest number of named storm landfalls on the United States since that year.[3][4] The season officially began on June 1 and concluded on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the period during each year when a majority of tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean.[5] The season's first cyclone, Alex, developed on January 12, while the final storm of the season, Otto, closed-out the season by exiting into the Eastern Pacific on November 25, becoming the first Atlantic–Pacific crossover hurricane since Hurricane Cesar–Douglas in 1996.[1]

A total of 16 tropical depressions were recorded, of which 15 further intensified into tropical storms. Of those 15, a total of seven strengthened into hurricanes, while four attained their peaks as major hurricanes.[nb 3] Activity began with Alex which, upon making landfall in the Azores, became the first January landfalling tropical cyclone since Hurricane Alice in the 1954 season.[7] In June, tropical storms Colin and Danielle became the earliest third and fourth named storms, respectively, on record.[8][9] Hermine moved ashore the coastline of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on September 2, ending the record hurricane drought that began in the state after the 2005 season's Hurricane Wilma.[10] In late September and early October, Hurricane Matthew wrought destruction throughout the Caribbean Sea and Southeastern United States, resulting in $15.09 billion (2016 USD) in damage and 603 deaths.[11] In mid-October, Hurricane Nicole developed to Category 4 intensity and remained a major hurricane while directly impacting Bermuda, the first storm of such strength to do so since Hurricane Fabian in the 2003 season.[12] Following the 2016 season, the names Matthew and Otto were retired from reuse in the North Atlantic by the World Meteorological Organization.[13]

This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.

By convention, meteorologists use one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC).[14] The National Hurricane Center uses both UTC and the time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. The time zones utilized (east to west) prior to 2020 were: Atlantic, Eastern, and Central.[15] In this timeline, all information is listed by UTC first with the respective regional time included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (knots, miles, or kilometers), following the convention used in the National Hurricane Center's products. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury.

  1. ^ a b Daniel P. Brown (January 30, 2017). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Otto (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. pp. 1, 2, 8, 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  2. ^ "Background Information: North Atlantic Hurricane Season". College Park, Maryland: NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  3. ^ First above-normal Atlantic hurricane season since 2012 produced five landfalling U.S. storms (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. November 30, 2016. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  4. ^ Hurricane Season 2016 (Report). Cayman Islands National Weather Service. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  5. ^ Dorst, Neal (June 1, 2018). "Hurricane Season Information". Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricanes. Miami, Florida: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  6. ^ "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale". nhc.noaa.gov. Miami Florida: NOAA National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. ^ Bob Henson (January 15, 2016). "Astounding Alex Hits the Azores: January's First Atlantic Landfall in 61 Years". Weather Underground. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  8. ^ Dr. Jeff Masters (June 5, 2016). "Tropical Storm Colin Becomes Earliest "C" Storm in Atlantic History". Weather Underground. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  9. ^ Dr. Jeff Masters; Bob Henson (June 20, 2016). "Danielle the Atlantic's Earliest 4th Storm on Record; 115°-120° Heat in SW U.S." Weather Underground. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  10. ^ Jon Erdman (September 2, 2016). "Hurricane Hermine Ends Florida's Record-Smashing Hurricane Drought". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mtcr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ntcr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". miami, Florida: NOAA National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "Understanding the Date/Time Stamps". Miami, Florida: NOAA National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  15. ^ "Update on National Hurricane Center Products and Services for 2020" (PDF). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.


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