With Beryl and Milton, 2024 was the first Atlantic hurricane season since 2019 with two category 5 storms.
With the calendar turned to December, we now close the book on the unusually deadly and destructive Atlantic hurricane season of 2024. There were 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. An average season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. The season’s accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) reached 162 (33% above average), which officially qualifies 2024 as a hyperactive season, according to the definition used by the Colorado State University seasonal forecast group – and that’s in spite of a month-long pause in activity at the climatological peak of hurricane season.
