Aug 28 and storms brought to you by the letter G

[senorpepr]

Quick blossoming Gaston (gas-TOHN) comes alive... Up next is Hermine, Ivan, and Jeanne.

Below is a breakdown of what storms were active on Aug 28 between 1954 and 2003. (Note: storm numbers in parenthesis had been finalled out by NHC prior to Aug 28) If applicable, there is a listing of what date the "G" storm developed on. At the end the list is the 50 year average ('54-'03).

Please Note: Number represents the number of storms (excluding subtropical storms) thus far in the season. The start dates of the G-storm are when these systems were tropical depressions.

Active Storms on August 28, followed by the date the G-storm formed.

03 6; Aug 30
02 (3); Sep 08
01 4; Sep 11
00 (4); Sep 14
99 3, 4, 5; Sep 11
98 4; Sep 15
97 (4); Oct 14
96 5, 6, 7; Aug 26
95 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; Aug 09
94 (3); Nov 08
93 4, 5; Sep 14
92 1; n/a
91 2; Oct 25
90 7, 8; Aug 24
89 6; Aug 30
88 3; Sep 08
87 1, (2); n/a
86 3; n/a
85 5; Sep 16
84 1; Sep 16
83 2; n/a
82 (1); n/a
81 (4); Sep 07
80 (3); Sep 01
79 4; Sep 04
78 4; Sep 13
77 (0); n/a
76 5, 6; Sep 26
75 3, 4; Sep 22
74 2; Sep 27
73 3; Oct 16
72 2; n/a
71 4; Sep 06
70 (4); Sep 26
69 (5); Sep 06
68 (4); Oct 13
67 1; Oct 05
66 6; Sep 01
65 2; n/a
64 3, 4; Sep 13
63 2; Oct 16
62 1, 2; n/a
61 (1); Oct 16
60 (3); n/a
59 (5); Sep 20
58 4; Sep 13
57 (2); n/a
56 (2); Oct 30
55 5; Sep 04
54 3; Sep 24

====
Average # of TS on Aug 28: 03.64 ('04: above average by 3.36 TSs)
Average Date for G-storm*: Sep 19 ('04: ahead of schedule by 22 days)

* G-storm occurred 78% of the time in the past 50 years.

Note: The following "30-yr averages" encompass the years 2003-1974

TS YTD vs 30yr Seasonal Average: 7 vs 9.97 (-2.97)
HR YTD vs 30yr Seasonal Average: 4 vs 5.83 (-1.83)
MHR YTD vs 30yr Seasonal Average: 3 vs 2.20 (+0.80)

[senorpepr]

2003 Tropical Storm Grace (Hit TX)
2002 Hurricane (2) Gustav (Skirted Carolinas, Hit Newfoundland)
2001 Hurricane (1) Gabrielle (Hit FL)
2000 Hurricane (1) Gordon (Hit FL)
1999 Super Hurricane (4) Gert (Skirted Newfoundland)
1998 Super Hurricane (4) Georges* (Hit Lesser/Greater Antille, US Gulf Coast)
1997 Tropical Storm Grace (NE of Lesser Antilles)
1996 Tropical Storm Gustav (Fish)
1995 Tropical Storm Gabrielle (Hit Mexico)
1994 Hurricane (1) Gordon (Hit Cuba, FL, GA, SC)
1993 Hurricane (2) Gert (Hit Central America, Yucatan, Mexico)
1992 None
1991 Hurricane (2) Grace (Skirted Bermuda)
1990 Hurricane (3) Gustav (Fish)
1989 Hurricane (4) Gabrielle (Fish)
1988 Super Hurricane (5) Gilbert* (Hit Lesser/Greater Antilles, Yucatan, N Mexico)
1987 None
1986 None
1985 Hurricane (4) Gloria* (Hit New England, E Canada)
1984 Tropical Storm Gustav (Fish)
1983 None
1982 None
1981 Hurricane (2) Gert (Hit Lesser/Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Skirted Bermuda, Azores)
1980 Hurricane (1) Georges (Fish)
1979 Hurricane (2) Gloria (Fish)
1978 Hurricane (4) Greta (Hit Central America)
1977 None
1976 Hurricane (2) Gloria (Fish)
1975 Hurricane (4) Gladys (Skirted Newfoundland)
1974 Hurricane (1) Gertrude (Hit Srn Windward Is.)
1973 Tropical Storm Gilda (Hit Cuba, Bahamas, Newfoundland)
1972 None
1971 Hurricane (2) Ginger (Longest Atlantic Storm; Hit NC, VA)
1970 Tropical Storm Greta (Hit Bahamas, FL Keys, Yucatan, Mexico)
1969 Hurricane (3) Gerda (Hit Bahamas, FL, Brushed NC, MA, Hit ME, New Brunswick)
1968 Hurricane (1) Gladys (Hit Cuba, FL, Brushed NC, Hit Nova Scotia)
1967 Tropical Storm Ginger (Off the Coast of Africa)
1966 Tropical Storm Greta (NE of Caribbean Islands)
1965 None
1964 Hurricane (4) Gladys (Hit Nova Scotia, Newfoundland)
1963 Hurricane (2) Ginny (Hit Bahamas, Brushed US SE, Hit Nova Scotia)
1962 None
1961 Tropical Storm Gerda (Hit Cuba, Bahamas)
1960 None
1959 Hurricane (4) Gracie* (Hit Hispaniola, SC)
1958 Tropical Storm Gerda (Hit Hispaniola, Cuba)
1957 None
1956 Hurricane (4) Greta (Hit Haiti, Cuba, Bahamas)
1955 Hurricane (1) Gladys (Hit Mexico)
1954 Tropical Storm Gilda (Hit Belize)

"G" names in the past...
54% became category one hurricanes
40% became category two hurricanes
24% became category three hurricanes
20% became category four hurricanes
02% became category five hurricanes

(Names with asterisk denotes retired name)

[senorpepr]

...it's interesting how the data set is getting smaller already. Only 78% out of the past 50 years have we had a G-storm.

[HurricaneBill]

I will never understand why they never retired Gordon in 1994. Yes, it was only a Category 1 briefly, but look at his death toll! And look at his path! He did a figure 8! He hit Florida 3 times, killed 8 there and caused damages of $540 million. In all, Gordon left 1,145 dead (most in Haiti).

It would be like not retiring Hurricane Agnes from 1972 or Diane from 1955.

[senorpepr]

I agree.

[HurricaneBill]

Gracie was a difficult storm. At one point or another, Gracie was moving in every direction on the compass.

Gracie eventually made landfall on SC as a Category 3 with sustained winds of 125 mph.

Gracie is one of the lesser talked-about retired storms.

[senorpepr]

I agree, it's an underrated storm.