2017 Hurricane Season in Review

Four 2017 Hurricane Names Retired

Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate

3 Simultaneous Hurricanes - Katia, Irma, Jose (NOAA)

Due to the extensive damage caused in the United States and Caribbean last year, the World Meteorological Organization’s Region IV Hurricane Committee has officially retired these names. Storm names are retired if they were so deadly or destructive that the future use of the name would be insensitive - otherwise names are reused by NOAA’s National Hurricane Center on a six-year cycle. Replacement names, to be used in 2023, have also been announced.  Read more


Here's the reasoning behind the decision and what the new names will be.



The extremely active 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the most destructive on record. Damage costs exceeded 250 billion dollars in the United States alone, while recovery for the worst hit Caribbean islands such as Dominica may take years. Several hundred people died, and the lives of millions were impacted.

Looking Back at 2017

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was a hyperactive and catastrophic hurricane season, featuring 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes – ranking it alongside 1936 as the fifth-most active season since records began in 1851. The season also featured both the highest total accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) and the highest number of major hurricanes since 2005.

In the chart below, the numbers in parenthesis are the averages, so you can easily see that the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season was well above average.  Read more (comprehensive coverage)

Atlantic Basin

Forecast Parameter and 1950-2000 Climatology (in parentheses)	NOAA 2017 Prediction	2017 Actual
Named Storms (NS) (12.0)	11 - 17	17
Hurricanes (H) (6.5)	5 - 9	10
Major Hurricanes (MH) (2.0)	2 - 4	6
Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) (92.0)	63 - 103	224

2017 National Hurricane Center Forecast Verification Report 

Atlantic Hurricane Outlook & Seasonal Climate Summary Archive

The 2017 Pacific hurricane season was a moderately active Pacific hurricane season, featuring eighteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes, though the season was significantly less active than the previous three seasons. The season saw near-average activity in terms of ACE, in stark contrast to the extremely active seasons in 2014, 2015, and 2016; and for the first time since 2012, no tropical cyclones formed in the Central Pacific basin. However, for the third year in a row, the season featured above-average activity in July, with the ACE value being the fifth highest for the month.

East Pacific

Forecast Parameter and 1950-2000 Climatology (in parentheses)	NOAA 2017 Prediction	2017 Actual
Named Storms (NS) (9.6)	14 - 20	18
Hurricanes (H) (5.9)	6 - 11	9
Major Hurricanes (MH) (2.3)	3 - 7	4
Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) (96.1)	75 - 145	100

Measuring total seasonal activity: The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index

An important measure of the total overall seasonal activity is the NOAA Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which accounts for the intensity and duration of named storms and hurricanes during the season.  According to NOAA’s hurricane season classifications, an ACE value above 117% of the 1950-2000 median reflects an above-normal season. An ACE value above 175% of the median reflects an exceptionally active (or hyperactive) season.

Hurricane Season Dates 

Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15th and also ends November 30th.
Download the Tropical Cyclone Preparedness Guide (PDF)
Watch for our 2018 Hurricane Preparedness Series.

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