The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ended on November 30, was one of the most active in recent memory. Spanning from June 1 to November 30, it featured 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). While the season started unusually slowly, activity surged in the latter half, with significant storms breaking records and causing widespread impacts.
Key Features of the 2024 Hurricane Season
- Record-Breaking Hurricanes:
- Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin. Forming in early July, Beryl impacted parts of the Caribbean and Gulf Coast, setting a precedent for an intense season ahead.
- Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm in late September, resulting in catastrophic flooding, especially in the southern Appalachians. Helene was the deadliest hurricane to affect the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina, with over 150 fatalities.
- Hurricane Milton, another Category 5 hurricane, rapidly intensified in the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall on Florida’s west coast in October, delivering destructive storm surges and contributing to the season’s high impact NOAANOAA Satellites.
- Unusual Patterns:
- After an inactive stretch influenced by the Saharan Air Layer, a cluster of storms formed in late September, including Hurricane Francine and Hurricane Helene.
- October brought multiple storms, marking the first time since 2019 that three hurricanes were active simultaneously NOAANOAA Satellites.
- Economic and Human Impact:
- Total damages are estimated in the tens of billions, with widespread devastation in the Gulf Coast and southeastern U.S. states. The season emphasized the deadly combination of storm surge flooding, high winds, and rainfall-induced flash floods.
- Five storms made landfall in the continental U.S., with two striking as major hurricanes NOAA Satellites.
Lessons Learned
This season highlighted the growing influence of climate change on storm behavior. Warmer sea surface temperatures fueled rapid intensification, challenging forecasting efforts despite advancements in technology. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center achieved their most accurate track predictions to date but acknowledged the need for improved intensity forecasts NOAA NOAA Satellites.
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