This year’s Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, but the first storm of the season didn’t form until June 19. Tropical Storm Alberto brought gusty winds and heavy rain to Mexico and southern Texas, but generally caused little damage.
A second storm a few weeks later served as a warning of just how fierce the 2024 hurricane season could be. Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record on June 30 and quickly became the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever on July 2.
Following the devastating devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl in the Lesser Antilles, hurricane experts and meteorologists are increasingly concerned about a potentially explosive hurricane season.
Sea surface temperatures and ocean thermal energy have hit record levels since 2022, while wind shear in the Atlantic has been below average.
While these factors promote an above-average season, there are three other factors that hinder tropical cyclone development.
First, during July and August, there are outbreaks of Saharan dust, which disrupt the organization of storms.
Second, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is in a suppressed phase, which means the air is too stable for any tropical cyclone formation in the storm centers.
Third, tropical cyclone formation occurs at unusually high latitudes, which are unfavorable for development.
Multiple hurricane forecasting agencies including the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict 17-24 named storms in the 2024 hurricane season, compared to an average of 22 storms.
Over a 20-day period in September, Hurricanes Francine, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, and Kirk formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Francine made landfall in southeastern Louisiana on September 11, and Hurricane Helene impacted the southeastern United States on September 27-29.
Hurricane Helene caused severe damage across the southeastern United States, especially in South and North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Helene became the deadliest hurricane in North Carolina and the fifth costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
Ten days later, Hurricane Milton impacted some of the same areas in Florida, which was still recovering from Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Milton became the strongest Atlantic hurricane of 2020 so far, the strongest hurricane of the year globally, and the most intense Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Wilma (2005).
Milton also became the fifth most intense hurricane by barometric pressure and the sixth costliest hurricane in US history.
The combined cost of Hurricane Milton, along with Hurricanes Helene, Beryl, Debby, and Francine, is estimated to be $191 billion, making the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season the second costliest on record, behind the $224 billion cost of the 2017 hurricane season.
Other notable highlights of the 2024 hurricane season:
- Hurricane Oscar had the smallest wind field ever recorded in the Atlantic basin (8-9 km wide).
- Rafael is the strongest November storm in nearly 40 years.
- 5 hurricanes made landfall and 1 unnamed system affected many areas of the US.
- The most hurricanes making landfall in the US since 2020.
- First season with multiple Category 5 storms since 2019.
- One of the five seasons with the most category 5 storms since 2000.
