Basseterre, St. Kitts (NEMA): An active 2023 Hurricane Season, which began on July 01, came to a quiet end on November 30. This year’s season is being described as “above-normal” and was “characterized by record-warm Atlantic Sea surface temperatures and a strong El Nino” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).
While the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis experienced some disruption in the weather due to the passing of some storms, there were no major impacts. There were 20 named storms throughout the season – seven of these storms turned into hurricanes and three of them intensified to become major hurricanes. This Hurricane Season ranks fourth for the most-named storms in a year since 1950. According to the NOAA, an average season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
We are truly grateful to have been spared the worst and continue to encourage everyone to be prepared well before the start of the Hurricane Season. NEMA thanks its partners, disaster sub-committees and volunteer district teams who continue to assist with the preparedness and response efforts.