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Hurricane Gonzalo

News reports of Hurricane Gonzalo strengthening in the Atlantic reminded me just how quiet the hurricane season has been, for the second year running. Ìý

In an average season, which runs from June to November, there should be around 12 storms, 9 of which would develop into hurricanes.

But Gonzalo is only the 7th named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season – which yesterday was upgraded to the season's 6th hurricane.

Meteorologists had been expecting this season to be quiet.

But last year – contrary to predictions – was also very quiet, with the fewest number of Atlantic hurricanes since 1982.

In the end, only 6 of the tropical storms developed into hurricanes in 2013.

That said, Hurricane Gonzalo has now developed into a major hurricane, and could threaten Bermuda.

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Record Antarctica sea ice extent

Last week the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) reported that Antarctica sea ice reached a new record extent, breaking the consecutive records set in 2012 and 2013, based on satellite data since 1979.

The reason for this record ice extent, in a world which is experiencing near record warmth, remains unclear.

It’s a huge contrast with the decline in Arctic sea ice, whose summer maximum extent was the 6^th lowest on record last month.

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NASA: Last 6 months warmest globally on record.

Global temperatures continue to run at elevated levels, with NASA reporting yesterday that, according to their data, the 6 months from April to September inclusive was the warmest six month period on record, 0.68C above the 1951-1980 average.

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