Halloween is fast approaching, and everyone is in the mood for a little scare. But this season, horror movies and masked costumes aren’t nearly as terrifying as something else on TV- the Weather Channel. Like a witch’s cauldron, the simmering Atlantic Ocean has brewed ten hurricanes and four tropical storms this year. Four have made headlines as “major hurricanes”, including Helene and Milton; this is much higher than the 30-year average of three major and seven total hurricanes per year. More worryingly, the season doesn’t officially end until November 30th, meaning there’s still plenty of time for more to form.
The storms this year have ripped through the Caribbean and into the U.S. with uncommon force. Ominously, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm to form in history. The August and September months were eerily quiet, likely due to Saharan sands which prevented the formation of storms. Then Helene, the 3rd deadliest storm since 2000, tore a 500-mile rampage through the Southeast United States, dumping almost 40 trillion gallons of water and leaving thousands still without power and water services. Milton gained Cat 5 level strength in an unprecedented 24 hours from becoming a tropical storm and reached rare wind speeds of 180 mph. Further, Milton caused 40 reported tornadoes. The estimated damage from these two storms combined is $430 billion.
But why? Why do hurricanes seem more violent, more common, and less predictable?
Hotter Ocean Temperatures: Hurricanes originate off of the Western Coast of Africa and travel over the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Gulf of Mexico. Higher-than-average ocean temperatures in the Atlantic allow storms to move faster and grow stronger than they would otherwise. This year, ocean temperatures have hovered around 1 degree Celsius above the 1990-2020 average. While this change might not seem like much, any extra energy can quickly translate into supercharged storms.
La Nina: There are natural climate patterns that occur every 2-7 years called El Nino and La Nina. 2024 is a La Nina year, meaning that normal weather conditions have shifted to favor a more severe hurricane season in the Atlantic.
What can you do to prepare for hurricanes?
Even now, a new storm named Hurricane Oscar has formed (though it will likely not make landfall). As long as the Atlantic remains warm, there is a risk for hurricanes. Preparing before disaster strikes ensures you’re ready in case a storm takes an unexpected turn.
Keep nonperishable foods and beverages on hand, just in case.
If a storm is imminent, gather important documents like passports, birth certificates, and medical documents and keep them in a safe, easily accessible place.
Have flashlights (+ extra batteries) on hand in case of power outages.
Follow all state and federal-issued warnings, including evacuation notices.
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