The 2024 hurricane season officially ended on November 30, ending six months of above-average hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin. This season had it all: extremely warm ocean waters that provided a fertile breeding ground for hurricanes, flooding as far north as Appalachia and tornadoes in the Everglades.
At the beginning of the year, some scientists put The Saffir–Simpson scale of hurricane intensity should be modified to reflect the intensity of future hurricanes. Looking at the notable storms of 2024—including a hurricane 180 mph (290 kilometers per hour) wind speed—you can see where they’re coming from. Let’s review some of the record-breaking moments from this hurricane season, and see how it lines up with forecasters’ predictions.
Forecasters warn of record-breaking hurricane season
Against of 2023 hurricane seasonthis year’s weather the forecast was To be stormier than usual. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted Between 17 and 25 named storms, while Colorado State University’s seasonal hurricane forecast predicted 23 named storms. Both institutions’ figures were above the average from 1991 to 2020: 14.4 named storms per year, 7.2 hurricanes per year, and 3.2 major hurricanes per year.
Forecasts aren’t always on the money; Despite its average expectations, 2023 ended with the fourth most named storms in a season at 20, while the Atlantic Basin only had 18 named storms this year. This meant that there were not enough Atlantic tropical cyclones to run through the full list of predetermined names – the last named storm, Sarah, ended on November 18. causing severe flooding In Central America. But don’t let the low total number of named storms in 2024 diminish the severity and lasting impacts of the season.
The first Category 5 hurricane in recorded history
Hurricane Beryl was the second named storm of the season, and Category 5 hurricane Year old. Only three days into the hurricane season, on July 2, Beryl was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane – classified as a hurricane with sustained wind speeds of more than 157 mph (252 kph). Was. This made beryl the earliest Category 5 on record; The silver medal goes to Hurricane Emily, which achieved Category 5 status on July 17, 2005. Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, but don’t let the low wind speeds fool you: the storm caused significant flooding in and across Texas. Louisiana.
“The impressive and deadly 2024 hurricane season started with intensity, then a brief lull before tapering off,” Matthew Rosencrans, chief hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, said in a statement. release. “Several potential factors contributed to the lull of peak season in the Atlantic region. Particularly intense winds and rain in West Africa created an environment that was less favorable for hurricane development.
Hurricane Helen: Flooding, death toll, and atmospheric shock in Appalachia
Two months ago Florida was hit by consecutive hurricanes within a fortnight. The first of the two was Hurricane Helene, which made landfall over Big Bend, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with winds in excess of 140 mph (225 kph). In about 18 hours, Helene tracked from Florida to Tennessee, causing storm surge along the coast, and spawning tornadoes and flooding inland. dramatic satellite imagery The extent of the storm’s damage was revealed in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas, from power outages to sediment washed up on the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico.
Images on the ground convey the pain caused by Helen, including destroyed homes and flooded town centres. But satellite imagery revealed the scale of the devastation, which extended across the entire Southeastern United States. NOAA data last month showed that Helene’s reach extended into the upper atmosphere, where the storm generated shockwaves (Also called gravitational waves) in the mesosphere.
According to a NOAA release, preliminary data shows Hurricane Helen to be the deadliest hurricane to hit the continental US since Hurricane Katrina. Helen directly caused more than 150 deaths, the majority of which were in the Carolinas.
The blinding intensity of Hurricane Milton’s eyes
Hurricane Milton intensifies From a Category 1 system to a Category 5 hurricane in about seven hours, a staggering speed. Several factors were responsible for Milton’s rapid intensity, but chief among them was warm ocean temperatures. Atlantic and Gulf hurricanes form when the sea surface is 82 °F (27.8 °C) or higher; In early October, Milton received fuel surface temperature More than 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
The storm killed 25 people. according to palm beach post Milton’s fierce winds tore off the dome of Tropicana Field, the current home of the Tampa Bay Rays, causing a disaster. crane collapse in downtown St. Petersburg, and about 3.4 million People lost electricity due to the storm.
Hurricane Milton also produced A Very of twisters-Violently rotating columns of air that extend down to the ground in a thunderstorm. Twisters are fairly common along the edges of hurricanes, but according to one expert, Milton’s timing and direction created “almost perfect” conditions for tornado formation. Milton spawned at least three dozen tornadoes in the Sunshine State First It caused a landslide. When Milton finally arrived on land, he dropped months of rain on the kingdom in just one day—and NOAA’s new lightning satellite Captured the storm’s intensity from orbit.
The season ended after a massive loss of millions of dollars.
The total cost of damage and economic losses due to the 2024 hurricane season could exceed $500 billion, According to AccuetuThe company determined that Hurricane Helene was the costliest hurricane of the year, with total damages ranging from approximately $225 billion to $250 billion.
The 2024 season ultimately produced 18 named storms, eleven of which were hurricanes and five of which became major hurricanes (storms with sustained winds greater than 111 mph or 179 kph). The highest number of named storms (seven) occurred in the Atlantic since September 25, another indicator that the season was still more active than normal, although it did not have as many named storms as last year.
Hurricane season won’t return until late June, but keep an eye on forecasts for early next year. They will provide an early glimpse of what the 2025 season will be like.
