It's been 3938 days since a major hurricane hit the USA. Al Gore despondent.

Consider some of the following statistics: the last hurricane to reach the Gulf of Mexico was Ingrid in September, 2013. The current, nearly three-year-long drought for the Gulf has not been equaled since at least 1851. The drought in hurricanes that make Florida landfalls is even more pronounced. The Sunshine State, which juts into the Atlantic Ocean like a lightning rod for tropical weather, has not been hit by a hurricane since Wilma (2005). Earl was in fact the 67th Atlantic hurricane in a row to not make landfall in Florida, according to hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach. The previous record was a mere 33 hurricanes, a streak between Hurricanes David (1979) and Elena (1985).

For major hurricanes, storms with 111 mph winds or stronger, a drought exists as well. According to data from another hurricane scientist, Brian McNoldy, a major Atlantic hurricane hasn't hit the United States in 3,938 days, again since Wilma hit Florida in 2005. That streak is longer than any other in the long Atlantic record, greater even than the 3,315-day drought from 1860 to 1869. Since Wilma, a remarkable 27 major hurricanes have developed in the Atlantic basin, but all have avoided the United States. Klotzbach said the odds of none of those striking the United States is 1-in-2,300.