NEWS

Weather Phenomenon Delaying Active Atlantic Hurricane Season

Red River Radio | By Jeff Ferrell

Published September 4, 2024 at 10:13 AM CDT

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured Hurricane Idalia approaching the western coast of Florida while Hurricane Franklin churned in the Atlantic Ocean at 5:01 p.m. EDT on August 29, 2023.

Conditions have remained calm so far this hurricane season. Meteorologists point to an Atlantic Nina pattern, which leads to cooler equatorial waters.

Expert predictions of a very active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, were based largely on warm water temperatures hovering at or near record levels for months, Yet conditions have remained calm so far this hurricane season. Meteorologists point to an Atlantic Nina pattern, which leads to cooler equatorial waters.

But the more powerful La Nina weather pattern has not disappeared. LSU climatologist Barry Keim says “As we get deeper into the season, La Nina gets stronger and stronger. And what that ends up doing is creating a backloaded season. Where you see lots of activity in October, November and perhaps even December beyond the hurricane season.”

Average sea surface temperatures in June-July 2024 compared to the 1982-2023 average (with any long-term warming signal removed), showing the cool waters along the equator that might become an Atlantic Niña event. The black box outlines the specific area used for monitoring Atlantic Niños and Niñas. NOAA Climate.gov image, adapted from original by Franz Philip Tuchen.

Right now, there are three disturbances in the Atlantic, stretching from the Texas Gulf Coast to the coast of Africa. But Keim says they have little to no chance of developing.