Atlantic City Lifeguard Steve Brown of Margate directs swimmers from the lifeguard stand at the Kentucky Avenue beach in Atlantic City as a high rip current watch is in effect today and tomorrow, Friday August 7 2015. (The Press of Atlantic City / Ben Fogletto)
Paulette continues to move further and further away from New Jersey, but it continues to bring dangerous rip currents to the waters Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a high risk for rip currents again Wednesday. A rip current statement is in effect until midnight Thursday to account for highlight the risk, something the NWS has done every day this week.
Paulette lost its tropical characteristics Wednesday morning, but is still packing a punch, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. Even though the storm is roughly 1300 miles to the east-northeast of Atlantic City, the scope of the storm is still bringing swells to the shore, making it unsafe to be in the water
Rip currents are most likely when: waves are at least 2 feet high, wave intervals measured at the buoys, are 8 seconds or slower, and winds that are perpendicular to the land.
A heat wave that drives you to the shore, warm water temperature that draws you to the surf …
The shore checks all the boxes Wednesday. Waves in the surf zone will break around 4 Wednesday. Wave intervals will be 10 seconds. Swells will come from both the east, directly perpendicular to the land for Long Beach Island and partially so for the rest of the shore.
The rip current risk will finally drop Thursday, as wave heights continue to diminished. However, with the remnants of Sally grazes South Jersey Friday and strong northeast winds to follow in its wake, the rip current risk will again increase for a sunny, but cool September weekend ahead.
Rip currents are caused by breaks in the sandbar, can make swimming dangerous and require numerous lifeguard rescues during the summer. Through August 31, one person died from a rip current in New Jersey, happening in Atlantic City on July 9. 34 people have passed away throughout the United States.
The 2020 Hurricane Season, by the numbers (and one picture to explain it all)
In a year full of firsts, hurricane season was right up there, too. The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season shattered the previous record for most named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes) in a year at 30. The previous title holder went to the 2005 season, which joined 2020 as the only two hurricane seasons to force meteorologists to go into the Greek alphabet for storm names.
“The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season ramped up quickly and broke records across the board,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D, acting NOAA administrator.
Besides the number of named storms, 2020 also set the record for the most number of landfalling named storms in a season at twelve, besting the previous record of nine. One of those, Fay, came ashore between Long Beach Island and Atlantic City, a recent hot spot for tropical activity in the state.
Isaias did not make landfall in South Jersey, but it certainly felt like it. Two tornadoes and damaging winds brought the most widespread power event since Sandy in the area.
While there were records broken, 2005 still holds the top spot for the most number of major, category three or greater hurricanes. Also, the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) for 2020, while well above average, was well below the top spot.
If that's too much to wrap your head around, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pulled together satellite pictures of all 30 named storms, in one spot.
Satellite images for each of the 30 tropical storms and hurricanes to form during the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. 2020 breaks the record for
Arthur - Used
It's the sixth year in a row that a named tropical system has developed in the Atlantic Hurricane Basin before the June 1 official start.
Bertha - Used
Tropical Storm Bertha is the second tropical storm or greater storm to have formed in the Atlantic Hurricane basin before the official start June 1. This is only the sixth time since records have been kept in the 1700s that two tropical storm or greater storms have formed before the start.
Even though the official start to the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season is June 1, May has not…
Cristobal - Used
Dolly - Used
Dolly was the third earliest fourth named (D storm) storm in Atlantic Hurricane history, which goes back to 1851. It also flared up further north than any tropical storm before July 1 in recorded history, according to Sam Lilo, postdoctoral researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
#Dolly has formed in the North Atlantic - the 3rd earliest 4th Atlantic named storm formation on record (since 1851). Danielle is earliest on 6/20/2016. Debby is 2nd earliest on 6/23/2012 at 12 UTC. Dolly in 2020 formed on June 23 at 1615 UTC. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/1Ha6ZnxHqc
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 23, 2020
Edouard - Used
The Atlantic Hurricane season continued its blistering pace. Edouard, which developed July 6, was the earliest fifth named (with the letter "E") storm in Atlantic Hurricane history, which goes back to 1851. This is according to Philip Klotzbach, Meteorologist at Colorado State University, who issues a highly reputable hurricane forecast each year and is used by The Press.
#Edouard has formed in the far North Atlantic - the earliest 5th Atlantic named storm on record. Previous record was Emily in 2005 on July 12 at 0 UTC. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/K7cB6UKUnq
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) July 6, 2020
The previous record was held in 2005 with Emily, which occurred on July 12. 2005 holds the record for the most active hurricane season on record in the Atlantic Hurricane basin, with 27 named storms.
However, all of the storms to this point have all been tropical storms. Some, like Edouard, likely would not have even been noticed before the satellite era, as they were out to sea and may have been missed by shipping routes.
Fay - Used
Tropical Storm Fay will go in the record books for multiple reasons.
- It is the tenth tropical storm or hurricane to make landfall in New Jersey since 1900.
- It made landfall just south of Holgate, on Long Beach Island, this is, incredibly, about ten miles away from where Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy made landfall, right near Brigantine.
Tropical Storm Irene, Superstorm Sandy and Tropical Storm Fay, in a twist of Meteorological conciendence, all made landfall just miles apart.
- Fay was the earliest sixth tropical storm or hurricane to form in the Atlantic Hurricane basin, since records started in 1851. On other words, it was the earliest "F" storm on record.
Gonzalo - Used
Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed as a tropical depression July 21 and turned into a named storm July 22.
Hanna - Used
Tropical Storm Hanna formed Thursday, July 24. That put the 2020 hurricane season in a big lead over the 2005 hurricane season for the quickest, most active start. In 2005, Harvey formed on August 3, putting the 2020 season roughly two weeks ahead of 2005.
According to Retired National Weather Service Meteorologist Jim Eberwine, this was the first time in 22 that there have been eight tropical storms, without any hurricanes. However, its upgrade to a hurricane July 25 meant this streak was broken.
#Hanna has formed in the Gulf of Mexico - the earliest 8th Atlantic named storm formation on record. Prior record was Harvey on August 3, 2005. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/m1cuFjb0ff
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) July 24, 2020
Isaias - Used
The fourth largest power outage event in Atlantic City Electric's history came with Isaias, which passed to the west of New Jersey as a tropical storm.
Isaias continues the blistering pace of the hurricane season, beating out the 2005 season. The "I" storm then, Irene, developed on August 7.
Hurricane Irene would be retired by the World Meteorological Organization in 2011. The storm brought power outages to over 100,000 in South Jersey, a tornado in Vineland and nearly a foot of rain to the Wildwoods.
This also ties the record for the most number of July tropical systems in a month, at five.
Josephine - Used
Tropical Storm Josephine formed Aug. 13, after spending time as a Tropical Depression for a couple of days. According to Klotzbach, this is the earliest tenth named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season on record, best 2005 by nine days.
#Josephine has formed in the central tropical Atlantic - the earliest Atlantic 10th Atlantic named storm on record. Prior record was Jose on August 22, 2005. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/v9tdJ0wpmS
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) August 13, 2020
Kyle - Used
Tropical Storm Kyle developed Aug. 14 well off the Delmarva coast.
This outpaces 2005 by ten days. On Aug. 24, 2005, Hurricane Katrina formed.
Low pressure area south of Nantucket now has 70% chance of tropical cyclone development in next 2 days. If it gets named, it would be Kyle. Current record for earliest ‘K’ storm is Katrina on August 24, 2005. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/pLn5OycAjK
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) August 14, 2020
Laura - Used
Tropical Depression 13 turned into Tropical Storm Laura.
According to Klotzbach, Laura is the earlier "L" storm on record, beating out Luis in 1995.
Laura is forecasted to make landfall on the Gulf Coast Wednesday, doing so at nearly the same time as what will be Marco.
Marco - Used
The previous record for the earliest thirteenth storm of the year was Sept. 2.
#Marco has formed in the NW Caribbean - the earliest 13th Atlantic named storm formation on record. Prior record was a tie on September 2 at 12 UTC between Maria (2005) and Lee (2011). #hurricane pic.twitter.com/bDHFT123dZ
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) August 22, 2020
Nana - Used
Omar - Used
Tropical Storm Omar formed off the North Carolina coast on Sept. 1. 2020 continues to lap other hurricane seasons for the most active on record. According to Klotzbach, the second earlier "O" (fifthteen) named storm was Ophelia on Sept. 7, 2005.
Tropical Storm #Omar has formed off of the North Carolina coast - the 15th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date. The previous record for earliest 15th Atlantic named storm formation was Ophelia on September 7, 2005 at 6UTC. pic.twitter.com/YHEizBrdzN
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 1, 2020
Paulette - Used (again)
After a five day hiatus, Paulette turned back into a tropical system on Sept. 21, morphing into a tropical storm. According to Klotzbach, Paulette was the first hurricane to become post-tropical and then redevelop since Ivan, in 2004. Ivan was brought back into the spotlight this year for having a very similar look and landfall as Hurricane Sally. Sally crashed into Alabama earlier in September.
Paulette's eye went right over Bermuda as a hurricane, though little damage was seen on the resilient island.
Rene - Used
Tropical Storm Rene formed off the coast of Africa on September 7. According to Klotzbach, this outpaces the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season for the most active on record. Rita formed on September 18.
#Rene has formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic - the 17th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date. Rene is the earliest forming 17th Atlantic named storm on record, breaking old record set by Rita on September 18, 2005. pic.twitter.com/5gKXDXdoOE
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 7, 2020
Sally - Used
Sally's path takes it to Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi shore line as a slow moving hurricane Tuesday.
Teddy - Used
Teddy formed on Sept. 14, 2020. The blistering pace of the Atlantic Hurricane season continues, beating out the 2005's nineteenth named storm by nearly two and a half weeks.
#Teddy has formed in the central tropical Atlantic - the earliest 19th Atlantic named storm formation on record. Prior record was October 4, 2005 (Unnamed). Unnamed storm was added in post-season reanalysis in 2005. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/SAnhkoHKs5
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 14, 2020
Vicky - Used
#Vicky has formed in far eastern tropical Atlantic - the 20th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date. Vicky is earliest 20th Atlantic named storm on record, breaking old record set by Tammy on October 5, 2005. pic.twitter.com/EmxNj6352O
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 14, 2020
Wilfred - Used
#Wilfred has formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic - the 21st named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date and earliest 21st Atlantic named storm on record. Prior record for earliest 21st named storm was October 8, 2005. pic.twitter.com/t8kGhASX13
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 18, 2020
Wilfred exhausts the list of hurricane names for the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. It is in the earliest twenty-first storm on record, beating out 2005's storm, which formed on Oct. 8.
For the second time in history, Greek names will be used to name storms
We go Greek.
The rules for hurricane names state that once the list is exhausted, storm names go by Greek letter of the alphabet. This has only been used once, and that was for the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season that 2020 is on pace to break.
The 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season in the most active on record, which goes back to 1851 (though the advent of weather satellites in the 1960s means hurricane seasons before then may not have been accurately calculated). That year 28 named storms developed, exhausting the alphabet list of storms. The NHC then had to turn to the Greek Alphabet for names.
The next five storm names after Wilfred go in the following order:
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
For storms that cause massive destruction, any member state of the World Meteorological Organization can ask to retire the name. The WMO Hurricane Committee then votes on it. Member states can apply to have a greek alphabet name retired in 2020. If the WMO approved it, the name will go into the "retired" list, but still be used whenever needed.
Retiring storm names are uncommon. Between 2010-2019, only 15 out of the at least 210 potential names will not be used again, 7.1%.
Alpha - Used
For the second time in history and the first time since 2005 the list of storm names have been exhausted.
Subtropical storm Alpha is the first Greek storm name of the season. Perhaps fitting for its name, it has charted its own path, crashing into Portugal as a mid-level stom Sept. 18.
Beta - Used
Gamma - Used
After a break for nearly a week, Gamma spawned in the Gulf of Mexico. According to Klotzbach, Gamma is aggressively beating out the 2005 season.
Tropical Storm #Gamma has formed in the NW Caribbean - the 24th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date. Gamma is the earliest forming 24th Atlantic named storm on record, breaking the old record set on October 27, 2005. pic.twitter.com/A9Wvln4VnG
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 2, 2020
Delta - Used
Tropical Storm Delta formed from a tropical depression on Oct. 5. Delta is forecasted bring impacts to the U.S. Gulf Coast late in the week.
Note that storms in the Greek alphabet can be retired if they are significant enough. However, the World Meteorological Organization will continue to use the storm name if the situation warrants. Only 2005 has even had storm names in the Greek alphabet, so it is a rare occurrence.
Epsilon - Used
#Epsilon has formed in central subtropical Atlantic - the earliest 26th Atlantic named storm formation on record. Prior record was November 22, 2005 (Delta). Additional storm in October 2005 added after the season, which is why Epsilon breaking record set by Delta. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/NeyB1l6yrD
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 19, 2020
According to Klotzbach, Epsilon, which formed on Oct. 19, is the earliest 26th named storm of the season in recorded history. In 2005, that storm developed on Nov. 22, 2005.
Zeta - Used
Zeta was the last name that was used in the 2005 hurricane season. However, 2020 has not tied the record for the most number of tropical storms and hurricanes in a season.
After the 2005 hurricane season ended, the National Hurricane Center performed a reanalysis of the season, as is done every year. During that time, they determined that another storm had formed Oct. 4-5 that was not classified by the NHC. The storm, informally known at the 2005 Azores subtropical storm, was then added to the data base.
As a result, the 2005 hurricane season has 28 "named storms", while the 2020 has 27 storms through Zeta.
Eta (Ties record) - Used
Eta, the twenty-eight named storm of the year, developed Nov. 1. Officially, 2020 tied the 2005 for the most tropical storms and hurricanes in one season in the Atlantic Hurricane Basin. Records go back to the mid-1800s, but more reliably since the 1960s.
#Eta is now a Category 4 #hurricane. Eta is the 5th Atlantic Category 4+ #hurricane in November on record. Others were: Cuba Hurricane (1932), Lenny (1999), Michelle (2001) and Paloma (2008). pic.twitter.com/8qvtMxyPJV
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) November 2, 2020
Theta (Breaks record) - Used
Subtropical Storm Theta is the twenth-ninth tropical storm or hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean Basin, besting 2005 for the most active hurricane season on record. Records go back with a high degree of accuracy to the 1960s, when satellites kept an eye on the oceans. However, observations on hurricanes have been made with regularity since the mid-1800s.
Iota - Used
Iota formed on Nov. 13 from Tropical Depression 31, continuing the record pace.
Track hurricane season with our interactive map
Track all of the active tropical systems, along with their movement, wind speeds and weather alerts here.
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Joe Martucci
Meteorologist
I've been the Meteorologist at The Press since Fall 2017. I've spent my whole life in New Jersey, earning a Meteorology degree from Rutgers University. I'm honored to be a 5 time N.J. Press Association award winner and a South Jersey "Top 40 Under 40".
