Given the predictions of an above-average season, 2024's Atlantic hurricane season unfolded with notable highs and lows. Starting strong with Hurricane Beryl – the earliest recorded category five hurricane on July 2 – the season promised significant activity. However, after Beryl's passage, the following months quieted considerably, a surprising turn given the warmth of the Atlantic's waters and an expected resurgence post-El Niño.
Typically, the Atlantic hurricane season peaks in early September, but this year, after Beryl, only four named storms formed prior to the late September resurgence, when Hurricane Helene hit with devastating force. Helene, classified as a category four storm upon landfall in Florida, caused catastrophic flooding and was marked as the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with over 150 fatalities.
This revival saw five storms arise in quick succession, with rapid intensifications. Hurricane Milton exemplified this phenomenon, boasting a dramatic wind speed increase and initially achieving category five status before making landfall as a category three hurricane in Florida.
The final storm, Tropical Storm Sara, while not growing to hurricane strength, lingered near Central America, inducing severe rainfall and flooding.
Experts highlight the role of climate change in the severity and characteristics of storms this season. Analysis indicates that warmer sea temperatures, influenced by climate change, have exacerbated wind speeds and rainfall during hurricanes. While the overall frequency of hurricanes may not rise, existing storms are projected to intensify more rapidly, signaling an urgent need for enhanced preparedness as these shifts in patterns become apparent in future seasons.
Typically, the Atlantic hurricane season peaks in early September, but this year, after Beryl, only four named storms formed prior to the late September resurgence, when Hurricane Helene hit with devastating force. Helene, classified as a category four storm upon landfall in Florida, caused catastrophic flooding and was marked as the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with over 150 fatalities.
This revival saw five storms arise in quick succession, with rapid intensifications. Hurricane Milton exemplified this phenomenon, boasting a dramatic wind speed increase and initially achieving category five status before making landfall as a category three hurricane in Florida.
The final storm, Tropical Storm Sara, while not growing to hurricane strength, lingered near Central America, inducing severe rainfall and flooding.
Experts highlight the role of climate change in the severity and characteristics of storms this season. Analysis indicates that warmer sea temperatures, influenced by climate change, have exacerbated wind speeds and rainfall during hurricanes. While the overall frequency of hurricanes may not rise, existing storms are projected to intensify more rapidly, signaling an urgent need for enhanced preparedness as these shifts in patterns become apparent in future seasons.
