Impressed… or confused? Forecasters noted that the Atlantic Ocean cooled considerably this hurricane season over Labor Day, which was totally unexpected.
The Atlantic hasn't had a named storm since Hurricane Ernesto slammed into Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and New England in mid-August. While that may not sound like news, the “surprisingly quiet” hurricane season from August 13 to September 3 was the first since 1968, more than 50 years ago. According to Meteorologist Philip Klotzbach Mike's Weather Page (MWP).
While Hurricane Debbie certainly caused chaos in late July and early August, 2024 is looking a lot milder than expected. Was the 2024 forecast badly wrong? Let's hope so!
No named storms have formed in the Atlantic since then. #Ernesto August 12th. The first time since 1968 that there were no storms in the Atlantic from August 13th to September 3rd. The period of surprising calm in the Atlantic was #Hurricane The activity will continue. pic.twitter.com/pLqE7I5PHn
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 3, 2024
In April, forecasters at AccuWeather said the 2024 hurricane season was so “frenzied” they worried they might run out of names. “The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is projected to be well above the historical average in the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, major hurricanes, and direct impacts to the United States,” AccuWeather chief hurricane forecaster Alex DaSilva said at the time. (RELATED: Hurricane Center issues warning as storm strengthens behind Debby)
But this is one of the quietest periods in Atlantic hurricane history, and the Gulf of Mexico doesn't seem to have seen any major events since Hurricanes Beryl and Debby.
HOUSTON, Texas – July 8, 2024: A person looks at a flooded interstate highway after Hurricane Beryl struck Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl struck the Texas coast late last night and strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FREEPORT, TX – JULY 8, 2024: A mobile home collapses on the shore after Hurricane Beryl hit the Freeport, Texas area on July 8, 2024. Tropical Storm Beryl strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it struck the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
RIDGELAND, S.C. – August 6, 2024: A convenience store closes in Ridgeland, South Carolina, due to flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby. The weather system is stalled over the southeastern U.S. and is expected to bring prolonged torrential rains and flooding with 10 to 20 inches of rain over the next few days. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 6: Roads are flooded during Tropical Storm Debby in Charleston, South Carolina on August 6, 2024. The storm is stationary over the southeastern United States and is expected to dump 10 to 20 inches of rain over the next few days. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)
One of the deadliest Labor Day storms in history occurred in 1935, when more than 400 people were killed by a devastating storm surge. According to According to the National Weather Service, water levels rose 15 to 20 feet, destroying railroad tracks and making history as one of the most violent hurricanes ever to make landfall in the United States. (Related article: Sudden flooding turns Las Vegas into a movie set)
To show just how massive this storm was, the NWS noted that wind speeds reached 185 mph in some areas and calm lasted for 55 minutes in the eye of the storm.
