Final answer:
The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index measures both the duration and the intensity of hurricanes but does not directly count the number of storms. It is directly related to hurricane activity, with a higher ACE indicating more activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime and to quantify the overall activity of a hurricane season. Regarding the true statements about the ACE index, options A and B are correct:
- (A) It measures hurricane duration.
- (B) It accounts for storm intensity.
However, Option C, which suggests that the ACE index considers the number of storms, is misleading. While a higher number of strong and long-live storms will result in a higher cumulative ACE, the index itself does not directly count the storms. Lastly, Option D is incorrect because the ACE index is directly, not inversely, related to hurricane activity; a higher ACE index indicates more activity.