Hurricanes in November

On Thursday, hurricane Nicole became the first hurricane to hit in the month of November. Since 1851 only ten tropical storms and three hurricanes have hit in November, but 2020 was very active. Eta hit as a category four storm then only two weeks after Hurricane Iota hit as a category four, both hitting Nicaragua's coast. Hurricane Nicole began as just a tropical storm and hit Florida's coast lines over night as a category one. The last hurricane to hit Florida in November was Kate, which hit November 22, 1985.

Typically even storms that form in November are weaker as well as they are rare. A researcher from Scientific American states that "solar energy shifts from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere and more northerly latitudes rapidly cool down; this creates a big contrast with the lingering warmth south, strengthening the polar jet-stream which sends incursions of cold air southward." This causes increases in wind shear and that is what powers tropical storms and hurricanes. Because of the recent increase of tropical storms and hurricanes researchers believe they may become more frequent, but it is hard to tell because they are so far apart.