2024 NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook Released

The 2024 NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook has been released. The outlook calls for an 85% chance that we will see above normal tropical cyclone activity this season.

The outlook includes a prediction of 17-25 named storms (14 is normal), 8-13 of which will become hurricanes (7 is normal), and of those hurricanes, 4-7 of them (3 is normal) could become major hurricanes (Category 3-5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale). 

As a reminder, these outlooks do not predict U.S. landfalls, but we always encourage folks to be prepared because it only takes one storm impacting our area to make it a busy season.

The outlook for above normal activity is primarily a result of: 

• La Nina being established by hurricane season: La Nina results in weaker winds shear, which creates a more favorable environment for storms to develop
• Warmer than average ocean temperatures: more fuel for the storms to develop

Rowan County Weather will provide updates on storms and outlooks as they occur over the Atlantic and the Gulf this season.