Typical areas for tropical storm formation in August

With the arrival of August, hurricane season tends to become more active, with September and October being the months with the most named tropical formations. But where are the most hurricanes in August?

The peak of hurricane season occurs on average on September 10th, and from then on, activity begins to decline.

The first two months of hurricane season, tropical storm formation tends to stay near land, over the Gulf of Mexico, and near the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas. But it is during August that the favorable zone for hurricane formation expands; it is also the month when more tropical waves exit Africa and travel thousands of miles westward, over the Atlantic Ocean, or those forming in the western Caribbean.

There are three favorable trajectories for tropical waves originating from Africa. The first is the most southerly, traveling through the southern Caribbean to head toward the Gulf of Mexico or the westernmost part of the Caribbean. In these situations, the Mexican coast is the most affected.

WHAT IS THE BERMUDA HIGH?

The second possible path is further north, that is, over the Caribbean in a westerly/northwesterly direction. They typically impact Florida or the southeastern United States. They are also highly dependent on the Bermuda High. If it is stronger, the storms move further west, with a greater likelihood of impacting Florida, Georgia, or the Carolinas.

The third possible path occurs when the Bermuda High is weaker, so it remains further away from the United States. When hurricanes are located north of the Caribbean, they turn north/northwesterly, often without making landfall. Still, there have been some that have had significant impacts on parts of the northeastern United States or southeastern Canada.