2024 Hurricane Season; Second costliest on record

It was a season that had an active start, quiet peak and active end. The 2024 Hurricane Season officially began on June 1st, but it was not until June 19th when the first storm of the season formed. Tropical Storm Alberto brought gusty winds and heavy rain to Mexico and southern Texas, but overall produced little damage.

A few weeks later, the second storm of 2024 season would serve as a warning to how intense the season would later turn out to be. Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 on record on June 30, which was soon overshadowed by becoming the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever on July 2nd.

Following the devastation caused by Beryl in the Lesser Antilles, and Texas, tropical cyclone experts and meteorologists grew more concerned of a potentially explosive peak season.

In August, Hurricane Debby affected Florida and the Carolinas, including an EF-3 tornado that killed one person in Lucama.

Sea surface temperatures and oceanic heat energy have been at record levels since 2022, and wind shear in the Atlantic was lower than average.

Although these factors favored an above average season, there were three factors that negated the favorability for tropical cyclones to develop.

1. through July and August there were outbreaks of Saharan dust, that disrupted the organization of tropical systems.

2. The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) which is responsible for enhancing precipitation in the Atlantic was in it’s suppressed phase, which meant the air was too stable for any tropical cyclone formation in favored areas.

3. The tropical waves that did form, occurred at an unusually higher latitude suited unfavorable for development.

Many of the forecast agencies including NOAA, called for 17-24 named storms to develop, with an average baseline of 22 storms. As the weeks went by into September, there were questions of whether the 2024 season would live up to the predictions. Some these questions were addressed in CSU’s early September report. While the tropical cyclone experts explained the peak season lull in activity, there was still confidence that above average activity would occur by the end of the season.

In September, this would later be confirmed. Within a 20-day period, Francine, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce and Kirk formed in the Atlantic. Two of the storms, Francine made landfall in Southeast Louisiana on Sep. 11, and Helene impacted the Southeast US on Sep. 27-29.

Helene produced severe devastation across the Southeast, especially the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Helene was responsible for becoming the deadliest hurricane in NC, and the 5th costliest storm in U.S. history.

Ten days later, Hurricane Milton impacted some of the same areas in Florida, that were still recovering from Helene. Milton became the strongest hurricane of the 2020s so far in the Atlantic Basin, the strongest hurricane of the year in the world, and the most intense hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Wilma (2005). Milton also became the 5th most intense hurricane by atmospheric pressure, and the 6th costliest storm in U.S. history.

Following Milton, the storm’s destruction combined with Helene, Beryl, Debby and Francine added to a whopping $191 billion in damages for the 2024 season, making this the second-costliest hurricane season on record in the Atlantic, behind 2017’s $224 billion.

Other notable highlights of the 2024 hurricane season:

- Oscar had the smallest hurricane force-wind field on record in the Atlantic Basin (5-6 miles wide)

- Rafael was the strongest November hurricane in nearly 40 years

- 5 landfalling hurricanes and 1 unnamed system accounted for numerous U.S. areas impacted

- Featured the most U.S. landfalling tropical systems since 2020

- First season to feature multiple Category 5 hurricanes since 2019

- Is only 1 of 5 seasons to have multiple Category 5 hurricane since 2000.