Timeline of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season

How the timeline is organized

The timeline groups events by month and lists each system’s lifecycle phases: tropical wave or disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane (if applicable), peak intensity, landfall(s) and extratropical transition or dissipation. In the published timeline, landfalls are emphasized in bold. The record also notes when a system was reclassified in post-storm analysis (for example, a system not warned on in real time but identified later). For a season overview and full index of storms see the main season summary (2006 Atlantic hurricane season).

Key months and notable events

• January: Unusually, a storm from the previous year persisted into the new calendar year. Tropical Storm Zeta, which formed in late 2005, carried over into January; the timeline includes a separate January section to reflect that continuation (January entries).
• June (season start): The season opened on June 1. Early-summer activity included the first named systems and the initial convective outbreaks that sometimes develop into longer-lived storms.
• July–September (peak months): These months normally encompass the climatological peak of the season. In 2006 the expected uptick in frequency and intensity was reduced by unfavorable upper‑level winds associated with El Niño. The timeline records formation dates, maximum intensities, and any coastal impacts or landfalls.
• October–November (late season): Typical late-season behavior — fewer but occasionally vigorous systems — was curtailed in 2006. The timeline includes any late-season transitions and final dissipations through the official November 30 end date.

Types of entries and meteorological notes

Each timeline entry distinguishes stages and transitions: genesis (when a disturbance first attains tropical depression status), intensification to tropical storm or hurricane, weakening, and conversion to an extratropical cyclone. Where a storm lost tropical characteristics and became extratropical, that change is recorded and linked to the transition category (extratropical transitions). Entries also note when the NHC’s post-season reanalysis produced adjustments to a system’s track or peak intensity.

Why the 2006 timeline matters

Timelines serve multiple purposes: they provide a concise operational history for emergency managers and researchers, they document when and where impacts occurred, and they preserve the record of how understanding of a storm’s lifecycle evolved after reanalysis. The 2006 timeline is particularly useful because it juxtaposes a season that followed an extraordinary year with the meteorological effects of El Niño and shows how seasonal variability can change the character and timing of Atlantic tropical cyclone activity. For access to storm-specific entries and official advisories consult the season index and technical reports compiled by the NHC (NHC reports).

Where to find the detailed timeline

Readers seeking the complete day-by-day list of formation, intensification, landfalls and dissipations can refer to the timeline section of the season summary (season timeline) and the landfall index (landfall details). For methodology behind post-storm changes and the identification of previously unrecognized storms, see the NHC’s post-season reviews and technical appendices (post-storm analyses and extratropical documentation). The January continuation of Tropical Storm Zeta is highlighted separately (January timeline), reflecting its carryover between calendar years.