By: Tate Ornelas
Over the weekend, Hurricane Oscar made landfall. It had a very slim chance of going from a tropical disturbance to a hurricane, but it beat the odds and reached hurricane strength. CBS News reported that Hurricane Oscar hit Great Iguana Island and continued to move along to hit parts of Cuba later that night. Unfortunately, the storm slowed down before it hit Cuba, so it dumped heavy rain causing flooding.
Another storm, Nadine, was a tropical storm for just half a day before it died out. It was named the fourth storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season to be so short lived. An article written by Yale Climate Connections talks about how Nadine formed early on Saturday morning in the western parts of the Caribbean before becoming a tropical storm. It brought heavy rain to those on the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm was being monitored as there was a slight chance for it to become a hurricane. Nadine was predicted to hit parts of Guatemala and Southern Mexico. Following this, it was predicted to dissipate. Those affected by the storm were expected to receive four to twelve inches of rain, with locally gusty winds. With this, there was a concern for power outages and downed trees.
Coincidentally, Oscar and Nadine were the first two storms of the 2024 season to form on the same date. Both of these storms were nowhere near as dangerous as storms Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. Overall, hurricane activity in the Atlantic has been above average, even though there have been multiple breaks between major storms. So far this year, the Atlantic has 15 named storms, with four of those being deemed major hurricanes. Compared to other oceans, the Atlantic has been above average in hurricanes, while others have been average or slightly below average. With a month and a half left of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, it is hard to determine when, if, and where the next hurricane will strike.
