Ex-hurricanes make it all the way to Europe. However, in the satellite photo, Hurricane Florence is still heading for the US East Coast (2018). © NOAA/AP/dpa
Hurricanes are feared in the United States. These destructive hurricanes from the tropics also make it to Europe and Germany – and are dangerous.
Munich – From the beginning of June to the end of November, strong tropical storms can develop over the Atlantic: It is the time of the hurricane season. These hurricanes also affect the weather in Germany. "20 percent of hurricanes also reach the coasts of Europe," said meteorologist Jan Schenk at weather.com. "Not always as a hurricane, but the ex-hurricanes are also very dangerous."
Weather expert: "Not only America, but also Europe has a hurricane season"
With the start of the 2023 hurricane season, Europe and Germany would also have to expect hurricanes, weather expert Schenk said in a weather.com video. And the meteorologist is convinced: "Not only America, but also Europe has a hurricane season."
A look at history shows: "Between 2010 and 2022 hurricane, 99 hurricanes were on the way to the North Atlantic, and 21 of them actually reached the coasts of Europe," says the weather expert. The Azores, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Great Britain and Iceland would be hit hardest. For example, ex-hurricane "Nicole" headed for Europe in November 2022, causing storm alarms in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France. Previously, Hurricane Nicole had hit the southwestern United States, moved to New York and Canada before the jet stream "catapulted" the hurricane to Europe. The late summer weather was over in Germany.
On average, two hurricanes per year would reach the coast of Europe. Although they make up only one percent of the annual low-pressure areas, they are "relatively rare, but strong". In addition, the meteorologist points to another crucial point: The North Atlantic is warming and thus the number of hurricanes is increasing overall.
Hurricane
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the term hurricane is one of several names for a tropical cyclone (TC) with wind maxima > 63 knots (> 118 km/h).
Hurricane has its origins in the Spanish Huracan, derived from the Mayan mythology "god of the wind".
(Source: DWD)
"Ex-hurricanes are relatively rare in Europe, but can cause deadly and destructive events"
This increases the chance that a hurricane will make it to Europe as a storm. That's what British researchers found out, according to a study published in the journal Monthly Weather Review.
"Ex-hurricanes are relatively rare in Europe, but can be deadly and destructive events," study leader Elliott Sainsbury, of the University of Reading, said in a press release. For this reason, the researchers investigated the question of why some hurricanes reach Europe as ex-hurricanes and others do not. In 2017, for example, ex-hurricane "Ophelia" was so strong in Ireland that three people lost their lives there. In 2011, the ex-hurricane Katia caused damage of 120 million euros in Scotland.
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The scientists have studied 190 hurricanes over the past 40 years. They wanted to find out why some hurricanes make it as destructive storms and others don't. According to the researchers, the jet stream plays a role: "Stronger hurricanes and hurricanes that are rekindled by the jet stream over the Atlantic are much more likely to hit Europe. Apparently they retain some memory of their strength in the tropics," Sainsbury's said.
"As stronger hurricanes could become more frequent as climate change continues, we could also see more ex-hurricanes in Europe in the future," Sainsbury said. However, the scientists point out that there are other factors to consider, and further research is needed. (ml)