Tropical Cyclone Effects on Seasonal Climatology in the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean

The hurricane season of 2017 experienced long-lived, destructive, tropical cyclones (TCs). Harvey, Irma, and Maria developed successively, registering at least at Category 4 status before making landfall. Harvey resulted in 80 deaths and extreme flooding in the Houston, Texas area. Irma followed shortly after in the Florida Keys, resulting in 132 deaths, and was the second most intense cyclone in the world in 2017 behind Hurricane Maria. Maria hit Dominica and Puerto Rico, resulting in 93 deaths, and is the worst natural disaster recorded in Dominica to date (modis.gsfc.nasa.gov). This study aims to investigate the effects of tropical cyclones on seasonal climatology in the Gulf and bordering regions of the Atlantic Ocean using NOAA’s HURDAT 2 record for TCs since 1981. Previous studies explore the ocean’s response to the passing of a TC and conclude that sea surface temperature experiences a downward spike before returning to its climatology after a period of around 26 days (Price 1981). We revisit studies of ocean response and the variability of other climactic factors known to contribute to a TC’s intensification, and we examine whether a TC’s passing makes conditions more favorable for another TC to develop in the same region and season.