IN SPACE - OCTOBER 8: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization ... [ ] and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy.) In this NASA handout, Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm at the time of this photograph, is pictured in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Yucatan Peninsula on October 8, 2024 seen from the International Space Station as it orbited 257 miles above. (Photo by NASA via Getty Images)
You probably know that hurricane season officially “ends” on November 30th, and it was certainly one to remember. As predicted, the Atlantic hurricane season was quite active and record-breaking too. There were eighteen named storms. Eleven of them became hurricanes, and five of those were categorized as major (category three or higher). Devastating storms like Beryl, Helene, and Milton causes hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and changed lives forever. You know all of that, but I suspect that many readers may wonder why the season “ends” shortly after Thanksgiving. Here’s why.
Like many things in meteorology, physics is at the root of why hurricane season “ends” in November. By the way, I will explain later the use of quotations around the word “ends.” The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1st, which is also the first day of meteorological summer. Climatologically, ocean heat content and associated sea surface temperatures become supportive of tropical development around that time. Ocean heat content is the integrated temperature from the sea surface down to where the 26°C temperature can be found.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 2: A capsized boat washes ashore as Hurricane........