Hurricane Season: What the 30-Year Trends Show

The Atlantic hurricane season is formally June 1 to November 30, but the climatological peak is mid-August through late October. For coastal cities, this shapes precipitation totals in a distinctive way.

New Orleans averages over 6 inches of rain in September — much of it tied to tropical systems. Miami averages close to 10 inches in August.

The normals smooth out individual storms, but a single major hurricane landfall can dominate a year's totals. That's one reason the 30-year average is more informative than a year-by-year record — it averages over the unlucky years and the dry ones alike.