2024’s Atlantic hurricane season lived up to ‘above average’ season predictions (2025)

Published: Dec. 2, 2024 at 6:53 PM EST

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/AP) - This year’s above-average Atlantic hurricane season came to an end Saturday night after mostly satisfying two major predictions.

The season included a record-breaking ramp-up following a peak-season lull, the National Hurricane Center said. Near-record sea surface temperatures helped fuel the storms and the possibility of a La Niña influence prompted early forecasts of the above-average season.

During La Niña, westerly winds high in the atmosphere weaken, which creates an expanded area of low vertical wind shear that allows more Atlantic hurricanes to develop and allows stronger hurricanes to form.

The two most well-known forecasts are issued and updated periodically by the National Hurricane Center and Colorado State University’s Tropical Weather and Climate Research Team.

Both forecasts called for an above-average season and at least four major hurricanes. The NHC forecast gives a range of storms while CSU’s lists an estimated total.

CSU released its initial prediction in April then updated it in June, July and August. The team’s first two forecasts exactly predicted the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes that formed. But the later forecasts overestimated those totals.

“The forecasts for hurricanes and major hurricanes were quite accurate, while we somewhat over-predicted the amount of named storm activity as well as Accumulated Cyclone Energy that occurred,” the forecasts’s lead author, Phil Klotzbach, said.

NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew 392 mission hours to collect atmospheric data that are critical to hurricane forecasting and research. The Hurricane Hunters passed through the eye of hurricanes 80 times and deployed more than 1,246 scientific instruments.

Season set new records

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season set several new records during the year.

Hurricane Beryl, the second named storm and first to become a major hurricane, was the earliest Atlantic basin Category 5 hurricane on record.

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26 in the Florida Gulf Coast, was the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental U.S. since Katrina hit in 2005, the NHC says. The majority the deaths happened in North and South Carolina. It was also the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Big Bend of Florida.

Helene also marked the first time the NHC forecasted a storm to become a major hurricane before it even became a tropical depression.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key, Florida, on Oct. 9, and data showed its rate of rapid intensification was among the highest ever recorded, with a 90-mph wind speed increase in 24 hours. When it made landfall, Milton spawned an outbreak of 46 tornadoes.

No named storms formed between Aug. 13 and Sept. 8, the first time that long of a lull happened since 1968, CSU said.

Seven hurricanes formed in the Atlantic after Sept. 25, the most on record from that date forward.

The 11 named storms that formed since Sept. 24 tied with 2005 for the record of most-named storms that formed from that date forward.

Hurricanes Kirk, Leslie and Milton were all active hurricanes at the same time in October, marking the first time on record that three hurricanes were simultaneously spinning in the Atlantic from October forward.

And five hurricanes made landfall in the continental U.S., falling short by one of the record total measured in 1886, 1985 and 2020.

Debby made biggest impact on the Lowcountry

Tropical Storm Debby drenched the South Carolina and Georgia coasts in early August. Nearly a foot of rainfall fell in Charleston and Savannah in just over 24 hours.

Debby spawned seven tornadoes in the Lowcountry. One of them, an EF-1, touched down from 2:53 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Aug. 6.

The Arby’s restaurant off Highway 52 was heavily damaged as the storm scattered tables, chairs, insulation and glass throughout the parking lot.

A nearby car dealership, Tru Auto, experienced damage to some of its vehicles, and the Walmart across the street had to board up its shattered windows.

Police blocked all roads into Charleston’s downtown peninsula to everyone except essential workers and emergency personnel.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said the road closures kept businesses and homes from unnecessary damage and avoided the need for any high-water rescues.

In West Ashley, the damage was less severe. Charleston Facilities and Capital Projects Section Chief Jason Kronsberg said a few damage reports came in from Debby earlier in the week but that additional reports came in later in the week after extended rain and winds.

Live 5 Chief Meteorologist Bill Walsh said the busy season was the continuation of a trend, particularly with respect to more powerful hurricanes.

But as he often says during hurricane season, the intensity of the storm isn’t the only thing to worry about.

“Debby was a good example that a storm doesn’t have to be a hurricane to cause widespread damage,” he said. “The incredible flooding from the slow movement of this storm did tremendous damage.”

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 each year, although tropical weather has been recorded before and after those dates.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved.