What to look out for in June as hurricane season approaches

Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
hurricane season
Credit: The Weather Authority

Hurricane season begins on Saturday, and many Floridians will be on edge due to the potential severity of the upcoming season.

Both Colorado State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association predict a “very active” season with above-average tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes.

Credit: The Weather Authority

NOAA reports that 2024 was Earth’s warmest year on record, with an average global temperature of 2.38F above the 20th-century average of 56.7F.

Hurricane season is expected to run from June 1 through November 30; however, according to the Weather Authority, the beginning of the season is rarely busy. 

On average, only one named storm forms in the month of June.

These are often weak and typically form near the United States, with the highest chances of formation resting within the Gulf of Mexico and Western Atlantic.

Each month during hurricane season, there are no equal odds of seeing named storms.

Activity typically picks up between August and October, with the average peak of the season coming on September 10th.

This will be only the second time in the last ten seasons that we have not crossed a name off the naming list before June.

During the three phases of ENSO, El Nino is when a naturally occurring set of reoccurring climate patterns involves changes in water temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

Easterly trade winds decrease, allowing upwelling off the coast of Peru to weaken. This, in turn, creates warmer sea surface temperatures in this region of the Pacific.

Following El Nino is La Nina, the cooler phase of ENSO.

As easterly trade winds strengthen, enhanced upwelling of colder water along the equator generates cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

La Nina usually reduces high-altitude winds that can decapitate hurricanes, and generally, during a La Nina, there’s more instability or storminess in the atmosphere, which can seed hurricane development.

The final phase of ENSO is the Neutral or in-between phase, where easterly trade winds are considered normal.

Regardless of how intense the upcoming season may be, the Weather Authority will keep you updated with everything you need to know to ensure safety before and after the storm.

Here is the 2024 Atlantic Storm list of names for the season:

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