An understanding of what has happened historically is an important step in identifying potential future changes in tropical cyclone frequency and intensity. However, the ability to detect such changes depends on a consistent and reliable global tropical cyclone dataset. Until recently no central repository for historical tropical cyclone data existed. To fill this need, the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) dataset was developed to collect all known global historical tropical cyclone data into a single point-source for dissemination. With this dataset, a global examination of changes and trends in tropical cyclone frequency and intensity can be performed.
The presentation will use the IBTrACS dataset to show the spatial variability of tropical cyclone frequency and intensity, including during El Niño and La Niña episodes, for the world's seven ocean basins affected by tropical cyclones. Analyses will show where the strongest storms typically occur, the regions with the highest number of tropical cyclones per decade and the locations of highest average maximum wind speeds.
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