18 named storms make Hurricane 2024 the first season for the books

Orange Beach, Alabama – (OBA) – The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season ends today. This season will end with above-average levels of tropical activity, marked by some record-breaking storms and rainfall. According to NOAA, there were 18 named storms in the Atlantic basin, 11 of which became hurricanes and five of which strengthened into major hurricanes. This season was notable not only for its intensity, but also for its impact on various regions of the United States, particularly the Gulf Coast and North Carolina, while the Orange Beach region was very fortunate to avoid direct hits.

A season full of intensity and milestones

The 2024 season was above average in terms of storm activity, with five hurricanes making landfall in the United States. Notably, two of these were major hurricanes. After a lull during the peak season, activity increased sharply after September, breaking records with seven hurricanes forming after September 25.

The most significant storm was
Hurricane Berylwhich set a record as the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Beryl weakened to a Category 1 storm upon landfall near Matagorda, Texas, but still caused significant storm surge flooding in parts of Texas and Louisiana.

Hurricane Helene was the deadliest storm of the season, making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane along the Big Bend region of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Helene caused catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina, with rainfall totals in some areas exceeding the 1,000-year recurrence interval. Widespread impacts included widespread wind damage and storm surge from Florida to the Carolinas, with over 150 deaths reported, making it the deadliest storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Hurricane Miltona Category 3 storm, devastated the west coast of Florida with a destructive storm surge and an outbreak of 46 tornadoes, several of which were rated EF-2 or stronger. Milton also experienced one of the fastest intensifications ever observed, with wind speeds increasing by 90 miles per hour in just 24 hours. This storm caused widespread flooding in Florida and highlighted the effectiveness of NOAA’s forecast advances as warnings were issued days before the storm intensified.

Hurricane Debby And
Hurricane Francineboth Category 1 storms, also made landfall, although their impacts were less severe compared to Helene and Milton. Francine in particular contributed to the rough seas felt along the Gulf Coast, including Orange Beach.

Local Impact in Orange Beach

While Orange Beach and surrounding areas were spared direct impacts from all hurricanes this year, the Gulf Coast experienced rough seas and increased surf conditions due to storms like Helene, Milton and Francine.

NOAA’s Role in Advancing Hurricane Science

The 2024 season demonstrated NOAA’s improvements in hurricane forecasting and monitoring. Using advanced systems such as the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System, NOAA provided its most accurate track forecasts to date. Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew 392 mission hours and deployed over 1,200 scientific instruments to collect critical atmospheric data. These efforts were complemented by marine surveillance technologies, including gliders and sail drones, which provided valuable data on ocean conditions before land storms.