The 2020 hurricane season broke several records, especially regarding the number of storms in the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.
Not something you see all the time: five storms in tropical Atlantic simultaneously. Credits: NOAA
It is unquestionable that 2020 was a difficult year. Aside from the pandemic itself, many people also had to cope with lockdown restrictions and reduce the number of activities in their lives. But unlike us, the Atlantic had a very busy year.
In May, the Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasted that 2020 would be an above-average hurricane season. The main reason for this is the above normal sea surface (SST) in tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea and stronger West African monsoon — key conditions for the formation of tropical cyclones.