Devastating Atlantic hurricane season comes to an end

UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The United Nations meteorological agency says the active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends on Saturday, having left a trail of devastation, casualties and massive economic losses.

On Friday, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that three hurricanes, in particular, were especially destructive. 

Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Atlantic basin Category-5 hurricane on record, with major impacts in the Caribbean. Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused catastrophic damage in the United States, while the Atlantic basin saw 18 named storms in 2024.

Eleven of those were hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater) and five intensified to major hurricanes of category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir Simpson scale, with winds of 178 kmh/111 mph or higher, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  

WMO said this was the ninth successive season with above average activity. An average season produces 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, WMO said. 

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30, and is “carefully monitored” by the World Meteorological Organization Tropical Cyclone Program. 

“Year after year, the climate crisis continues to break new records, resulting in more extreme weather events, including rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, intense rainfall and flooding,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.  

“This July's Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean,” she added. “Despite its ferocity, the hurricane resulted in fewer deaths compared to previous ones. This was thanks to advances made by the countries of the region in strengthening their early warning systems.” 

Between 1970 and 2021, tropical cyclones (the generic term which includes hurricanes) were the leading cause of both reported human and economic losses worldwide, accounting for more than 2,000 disasters. 

However, the death toll decreased from more than 350,000 in the 1970s to less than 20,000 in 2010-2019, while  reported economic losses in 2010-2019 were at US$573.2 billion.

Early warnings by the WMO community and improved disaster risk management have “dramatically reduced fatalities, but economic losses are rising”.

In the US, WMO said four hurricanes caused losses of more than US$1 billion this year, while Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean still suffer disproportionately.

“This is why WMO and its partners have prioritised early warning action in small islands under the international Early Warnings For All initiative,” WMO said.

The 2024 season started off intensely, “but then there was a lull at the height of the season in August. 

The particularly intense winds and rains over Western Africa created an environment that was less hospitable for storm development, according to NOAA. 

WMO said 12 named storms formed after the climatological peak of the season in early September and seven hurricanes formed in the Atlantic since September 25 — the most on record for this period.

Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Atlantic basin Category-5 hurricane on record.

This storm hit the southern Windward Islands at Category 4 strength on the Saffir Simpson scale on July 1, having an impact on Grenada and St Vincent and Grenadines – “small islands with little experience in coping with a category 4 hurricane.”

At its peak, WMO said Beryl was a top-ranked Category 5 on the Saffir Simpson scale. 

WMO said it was at major hurricane intensity when it passed near Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

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