U.S. gets through hurricane season without being hit

MIAMI - For the first time since 1994, the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts got through the hurricane season without being hit by one.

Two tropical storms - Gordon and Helene - hit Florida in September, causing about $26.8 million in damage but no deaths or injuries.

The last time the United States was not hit by a hurricane was six years ago, when the same list of names was used for storms.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

''The overall activity was above normal,'' said Jack Beven, a specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Overall there were 14 named storms during the 2000 season: eight hurricanes and six tropical storms. The average is 10 named storms per year.

Tropical Storm Gordon slammed into the state's Big Bend area in mid-September just hours after being downgraded from a hurricane. Tropical Storm Helene hit the Panhandle a few days later. Both storms dropped heavy rain, blew shingles off roofs and caused road damage and beach erosion.

In August, Hurricane Debby caused a false alarm when computer models projected the storm would hit the Florida Keys. All non-residents were ordered off the chain of islands two days before the storm was supposed to hit. The hurricane dissipated as it veered south of the Keys and into the Caribbean Sea.

A month later, Hurricane Keith ravaged Belize, Nicaragua and parts of Mexico. At least 12 deaths were reported.

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On the Net:

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov