2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Bob Nekaro)

The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season was one of the least active Atlantic hurricane seasons on record. It followed the active 2016 and 2017 seasons. The season did not feature a single hurricane making a U.S. landfall. 5 named storms formed, 2 of which developed into hurricanes. There were no major hurricanes, as the strongest storm was Category 2 Hurricane Debby with 105 mph winds. The season's inactivity was attributed to an El Nino event.

Hurricane Alberto
The first storm of the season, Alberto, did not develop until August 2. Alberto formed from a tropical wave located southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Alberto briefly became a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph on August 5, but weakened substantially due to high wind shear on August 6 to a tropical storm with 50 mph winds. Alberto dissipated on August 8.

Tropical Storm Beryl
A tropical disturbance developed in the Gulf of Mexico on August 14. The storm moved northwestward, and later organized itself into Tropical Storm Beryl on August 16. Beryl moved over Texas and made landfall there as a weak tropical storm. Beryl quickly dissipated after landfall. Beryl caused one fatality in Texas, but impacts were overall minimal.

Tropical Storm Chris
A tropical wave exited the African coast on August 24. The wave slowly organized itself into Tropical Storm Chris on August 27. Chris took a northwestward turn and did not affect land. Chris dissipated on September 1. Chris was monitored for re-development, but that did not occur due to interaction with Hurricane Debby.

Hurricane Debby
On August 31, another tropical wave exited the African coast. The system was declared Tropical Depression Four on September 2. Four was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debby on September 4. Debby strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane briefly as it moved westward, but started to weaken due to dry air on September 8. Debby dissipated on September 10 east of the Lesser Antilles. Debby was the strongest storm of the season and peaked with winds of 105 mph and a pressure of 970 millibars.

Tropical Storm Ernesto
On September 14, a subtropical disturbance developed off the coast of Florida. The system was named Subtropical Storm Ernesto on September 17. Ernesto moved northeastward and briefly became a fully tropical storm on September 19. Ernesto dissipated on September 22 due to wind shear.

Tropical Storm Florence
On September 26, a tropical wave developed in the Caribbean. Florence slowly moved westward and eventually made landfall in Alabama on October 1. Florence caused 11 deaths, $40 million in damage, and was thus the deadliest and costliest storm of the season. However, the name Florence was not retired. Florence's dissipation on October 2 was the earliest dissipation for a final storm since Hurricane Isaac in 2006.

Inactivity and Impact
This season was among the least active Atlantic hurricane seasons on record. It featured only 5 named storms, 2 hurricanes and 0 major hurricanes, the latter two of which were record-tying. The season had a low ACE as well. The season only had two systems making landfall in the U.S. (Beryl and Florence), and neither one had a significant impact. No storm names were retired this season, so the same name list would be used in 2024.