2024 Atlantic hurricane season

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active and destructive Atlantic hurricane season that became the third-costliest on record, behind only 2017 and 2005. The season featured 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes; it was also the first since 2019 to feature multiple Category 5 hurricanes. Additionally, the season had the highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating since 2020, with a total value of 161.5 units. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates, adopted by convention, have historically described the period in each year when most subtropical or tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first system, Tropical Storm Alberto, developed on June 19 and then made landfall near Tampico, Tamaulipas, the next day. Afterward, two storms formed at the end of June, with the first, Hurricane Beryl, being a rare June major hurricane and only the second known Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in July, attaining this status on the earliest recorded date. Beryl caused significant impacts, especially in the Windward Islands and Texas, with over $9 billion in damage and 73 fatalities. Next, Tropical Storm Chris formed on June 30 and quickly moved ashore Veracruz. Activity then went dormant for more than three weeks. In early August, Hurricane Debby developed in the Gulf of Mexico before striking Florida and South Carolina. Shortly thereafter came Hurricane Ernesto, which impacted the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and parts of Atlantic Canada in mid-August. After an unusual lull in activity in late August and early September, Hurricane Francine formed in the western Gulf of Mexico, then made landfall in Louisiana, inflicting about $1.3 billion in damage.

Activity dramatically increased in late September. Hurricane Helene developed over the western Caribbean and later made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida at Category 4 strength, leading to disastrous flooding over central Appalachia that caused more than $78.7 billion in damage and 252 deaths. October was also very active, with four named storms developing during the month, all but one of which became hurricanes. The strongest, Hurricane Milton, formed in the Gulf of Mexico and explosively intensified into a Category 5 hurricane; it was also the most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2024. Milton later made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9, as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm caused at least 39 deaths and $34.4 billion in damage, mostly in Florida. In mid-October, Tropical Storm Nadine and Hurricane Oscar formed in quick succession. The former quickly struck Belize while the latter achieved the smallest hurricane-force wind field on record in the Atlantic. It struck Grand Turk Island and Cuba. In early November, Hurricane Rafael struck western Cuba at Category 3 strength. In mid-November, the last system, Tropical Storm Sara, drifted along the north coast of Honduras before striking Belize, while producing widespread heavy rainfall resulting in severe flash flooding and mudslides across northern Central America. Collectively, the cyclones of the 2024 season caused about $131 billion in damage and 442 fatalities.

All forecasting agencies predicted an above-average season, primarily due to expected warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and a low risk for an El Niño. Although the season ultimately finished above-average, a heat dome mostly suppressed early activity, while little tropical cyclogenesis occurred from mid-July to mid-September due to the Saharan air layer (SAL), atmospheric stability, strong wind shear, and an unfavorable Madden–Julian oscillation pattern.