Hurricane Season Information

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - With tropical storm Fred currently affecting parts of the Caribbean, we are entering the peak of hurricane season. While hurricane season technically lasts between June 1st and November 30th, the most active time is August and September. The specific date of the peak of hurricane season is September 11th. Hurricanes are most likely to affect locations in the Caribbean during the month of August and then the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast during the month of September.

Hurricane usually start out as atmospheric disturbances or ripples off the coast of west Africa. Once out in the warm summer waters of the mid-Atlantic, some of these ripples begin to rotate and strengthen into hurricanes. Hurricanes then slowly move westerly in the trade winds of the lower altitudes towards Central and North America.

Scientists predict that hurricane activity this year (2021) will be higher than usual. Hurricanes will continue to become stronger as the earth continues to warm-up.

While Rapid City will never get hit by a hurricane, the economic impact of hurricanes could be felt here.

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