It’s that time of year again: hurricane season. And with most forecasters expecting it to be one of the most active on record, it’s important to get ahead and be prepared.
Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall on the Texas coast this week as a Category 1 hurricane, has already broken records as the earliest to reach Category 5. And according to the National Hurricane Center, it became the strongest July hurricane on record. While how the rest of the season will play out is still anyone’s guess, Beryl’s growth is quite eye-opening for the kind of season that lies ahead. Read on for what to know about any potential storms swirling in the Atlantic.
To track and learn more about hurricanes, visit the National Hurricane Center website. For more on hurricane preparedness and how to say safe, click here.
When is hurricane season in Florida?
Hurricane season for the Atlantic basin runs from June 1 to November 30 every year, with the peak occurring between August and September. The National Hurricane Center selected the six-month season because it accounts for about 97% of all Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes, although hurricanes have occurred in every month of the year. The bottom line is, it’s never too early to begin planning for the storm season.
What is the prediction for this year?
Forecasters have predicted one of the most active hurricane seasons on record for this year due to the combination of a building La Niña, which leads to more storms due to less wind shear, and record warm water temperatures.
Experts at Colorado State University anticipated 23 named storms, 11 of which expected to become hurricanes and at least five to become major hurricanes (Category 3 or greater). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had also predicted an 85% chance of an above-normal season, with 17 to 25 likely named storms, eight to 13 of which to become hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes.
For comparison, an average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What are the storm names for the 2024 hurricane season?
The World Meteorological Organization is responsible for naming hurricanes and tropical storms. These names are chosen years in advance and are part of a rotating list that repeats every six years. This means that this year’s names were last used in 2018 and will be used in 2030, unless any are retired or replaced. That happens when a storm is “so deadly or costly that the future use of its name for a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity,” according to NOAA. Examples include Katrina, Andrew and Irma.
You can see the entire list of hurricane names for 2024 below:
- Alberto
- Beryl
- Chris
- Debby
- Ernesto
- Francine
- Gordon
- Helene
- Isaac
- Joyce
- Kirk
- Leslie
- Milton
- Nadine
- Oscar
- Patty
- Rafael
- Sara
- Tony
- Valerie
- William
What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning?
A hurricane watch indicates that a hurricane is possible, while a warning means that a hurricane is expected to hit your area. A watch is issued when hurricane conditions are a possibility within 48 hours, and a warning is issued when a hurricane is expected in an area within 36 hours.
When does hurricane season end in Florida?
Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30, as mentioned earlier, although hurricanes can occur at any time of the year.