Visualizing how the 2024 hurricane season compares to past years

By Curt Merrill and Matt Stiles, CNN

(CNN) — Forecasters predicted an abnormally active Atlantic hurricane season in 2024, estimating as many as 24 named storms forming from June through November. Hurricane Beryl already emerged in July as the earliest category 5 storm on record.

Several factors contributed to the above-normal forecast, including record-warm ocean temperatures and a burgeoning La Niña.

This page, which is updated each day, is tracking how active this season has been.

A condition driving the active forecast is warmer than typical ocean temperatures in much of the Atlantic. Warm water helps storms form and intensify.

This map displays data collected by satellites that shows how much different those temperatures are from normal, with darker shades representing either warmer or cooler surface temperature differences, according to NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program.

The number of tropical storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes fluctuates each year, depending on the conditions. As this season continues, a look at the past shows how many storms can occur during the most active years.

The updated forecast for the Atlantic hurricane season from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted up to 24 named storms, including as many as 13 classified as hurricanes and potentially seven classified as major hurricanes — those with winds exceeding 111 miles per hour.

The forecast offered a range in the number of storms. All three classifications are expected to exceed the historical average, highlighting how this season could be quite active compared to the past.

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