Tropical Cyclone Climatology
The following figures and tables describe the progress of a typical
hurricane season in terms of the total number of tropical systems and
hurricanes produced throughout the year in the Atlantic and East
Pacific basins.
In the figures, curves represent the average cumulative production of
all named tropical systems, all hurricanes, and those hurricanes which
were Category 3 or stronger in those
basins.
For example, by the beginning of September in an average year we would
expect to have had four named systems, two of which would be
hurricanes and one of which would be of category 3 or greater in
strength.
The tables list benchmark dates when a given number of tropical
systems, hurricanes, or category 3 storms should have been generated.
![[graph of average cumulative number of Atlantic basin systems per year]](/peth04/20041015195841im_/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gifs/pastprofileat.gif)
Figure 1.The average cumulative number of Atlantic systems per year
![[graph of average cumulative number of Eastern Pacific basin systems per year]](/peth04/20041015195841im_/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gifs/pastprofileep.gif)
Figure 2. The average cumulative number of Eastern Pacific systems per year
Table 1. Progress of the average Atlantic season
(1944-1996). Date upon which the following number of events
would normally have occurred.
| Number |
Named systems |
Hurricanes |
Category 3 or greater |
| 1 | July 11 | Aug 14 | Sep 4 |
| 2 | Aug 8 | Aug 30 | Sep 28 |
| 3 | Aug 21 | Sep 10 | - |
| 4 | Aug 30 | Sep 24 | - |
| 5 | Sep 7 | Oct 15 | - |
| 6 | Sep 14 | - | - |
| 7 | Sep 23 | - | - |
| 8 | Oct 5 | - | - |
| 9 | Oct 21 | - | - |
Table 2. Progress of the average eastern Pacific season
(1966-1996). Date upon which the following number of events
would normally have occurred.
| Number |
Named systems |
Hurricanes |
Category 3 or greater |
| 1 | June 9 | June 24 | July 19 |
| 2 | June 23 | July 13 | Aug 23 |
| 3 | July 3 | July 29 | Sep 19 |
| 4 | July 13 | Aug 12 | Oct 29 |
| 5 | July 20 | Aug 25 | - |
| 6 | July 28 | Sep 5 | - |
| 7 | Aug 5 | Sep 17 | - |
| 8 | Aug 14 | Oct 2 | - |
| 9 | Aug 21 | Oct 25 | - |
| 10 | Aug 28 | - | - |
| 11 | Sep 5 | - | - |
| 12 | Sep 13 | - | - |
| 13 | Sep 21 | - | - |
| 14 | Sep 30 | - | - |
| 15 | Oct 9 | - | - |
| 16 | Oct 27 | - | - |
Comments and questions should be addressed to:
Colin McAdie
Technical Support Branch, TPC
National Hurricane Center
11691 SW 17th St.
Miami, FL 33165-2149
|
www.nws.noaa.gov 
![[graph of average cumulative number of Atlantic basin systems per year]](gifs/pastprofileat.gif)
![[graph of average cumulative number of Eastern Pacific basin systems per year]](gifs/pastprofileep.gif)