2024 hurricane names. Will early predictions of busy season come true?
Hard to believe, but the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is approaching fast.
The National Hurricane Center, AccuWeather and Colorado State University will release their first predictions before the official start of the season on June 1.
Earlier indications, though, are that it will be an active season due to the combination of La Ni?a and record warm water temperatures in the Atlantic basin, which includes the northern Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
The National Hurricane Center will start issuing daily tropical outlooks on conditions in the Atlantic basin starting May 15.
If a tropical system develops before June 1 — which isn't unusual — the Hurricane Center will issue advisories for that storm.
Tropical cyclone names for 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
Names for tropical cyclones are maintained and updated by the World Meteorological Organization.
Lists of names rotate every six years. A name is retired only if a storm is "so deadly or costly that the future use of its name for a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity," according to NOAA.
At an annual meeting of the international committee of the World Meteorological Organization, the offending name may be stricken from the list and another name is then selected to replace it.
Here are the names for 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
Names for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season were last used in 2018 and will be used again in 2030 unless any are retired and replaced by the WMO.
Here are the 2024 hurricane names:
Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Francine
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Milton
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sara
Tony
Valerie
William
How to pronounce 2024 Atlantic hurricane names
Alberto: al-BAIR toe
Beryl: BEHR-ril
Chris: kris
Debby: DEH-bee
Ernesto: er-NES-toh
Francine: fran-SEEN
Gordon: GOR-duhn
Helene: heh-LEEN
Isaac: EYE-zik
Joyce: joyss
Kirk: kurk
Leslie: LEHZ-lee
Milton: MIL-ton
Nadine: nay-DEEN
Oscar: AHS-kur
Patty: PAT-ee
Rafael: rah-fah-ELL
Sara: SAIR-uh
Tony: TOH-nee
Valerie: VAH-lur-ee
William: WILL-yum
2024 Eastern North Pacific hurricane names for 2024
Aletta
Bud
Carlotta
Daniel
Emilia
Fabio
Gilma
Hector
Ileana
John
Kristy
Lane
Miriam
Norman
Olivia
Paul
Rosa
Sergio
Tara
Vicente
Willa
Xavier
Yolanda
Zeke
La Ni?a, high water temperatures could mean busy hurricane season
In February, AccuWeather started "sounding alarm bells for a supercharged season in 2024 with a risk for many storms," said Jon Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist.
The combination of a building La Ni?a and historically warm water will lay the groundwork for a blockbuster season, AccuWeather said.
La Ni?a typically leads to more tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic due to less wind shear. Wind shear helps tear apart developing storms, so less wind shear means conditions are better for storms to develop and strengthen.
Adding to forecasters' concerns are the record high water temperatures, which help fuel tropical cyclones.
Forecast from ECMWF calls for a very busy Atlantic #hurricane season through September, with ensemble average of ~17 named storms, ~9 hurricanes and ACE of 170% of normal. Warm Atlantic and cool neutral/#LaNina likely primary contributors. ECMWF forecast only extends thru Sept. pic.twitter.com/ir5iFXQx7v
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) March 5, 2024
In early March, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts was predicting a "very busy" Atlantic hurricane season through September — two months short of the entire season — with about 17 named storms and nine hurricanes, according to a tweet from Philip Klotzbach, meteorologist at Colorado State University specializing in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts.
What's the average number of tropical storms, hurricanes during the season?
Based on averages from 1991 to 2020, an average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, which are Category, 3, 4, or 5 storms, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The first named storm typically forms in mid to late June, the first hurricane tends to form in early to mid-August, and the first major hurricane forms in late August or early September.
It's still early and a lot can change
It should be noted that it's only February, and a lot can change between now and when the Atlantic hurricane season really ramps up (typically in early to mid August).
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) February 8, 2024
While NOAA has increased the chances of La Ni?a during the peak of hurricane season to 74%, "a lot can change," Klotzbach said.
How busy was the 2023 hurricane season?
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was the fourth busiest season since 1950, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
The season was "characterized by record-warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a strong El Ni?o," according to NOAA. El Ni?o typically helps prevent tropical cyclones from developing.
Seven storms were hurricanes and three intensified to major hurricanes. Hurricane Idalia was the only hurricane that made landfall in the U.S. The Category 3 storm came ashore Aug. 30 near Keaton Beach, in Florida's Big Bend region, NOAA reported.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane names 2024 for Atlantic season. Busy season predicted