Hurricane Mason (2036)

Hurricane Mason was the most intense and destructive hurricane of the 2036 Atlantic hurricane season. The 13th named storm, 7th hurricane, and second major hurricane that year, Mason began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa and passed over Cape Verde with minor impact. Approximately halfway through the tropical Atlantic, the wave began to consolidate, developing a surface low and closed circulation late night September 23. Thereafter, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Thirteen that night. The subsequent day, convective activity increased and the NHC upgraded the rapidly organizing depression to tropical storm status, at which it was assigned the name Mason. Over the next two days, Mason sustained detrimental impact from unfavorable wind shear, inhibiting significant intensification. However, by September 27, Mason attained minimal hurricane status roughly 650 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Thereafter, Mason underwent explosive intensification while the under the influence of extremely high oceanic heat content, and became a Category 5 hurricane just a day prior to when it was expected to strike the Leeward Islands. Mason's extreme rate of intensification did not cease, and it made landfall over Antigua on September 29 with winds exceeding 195 miles per hour. Despite striking additional islands as it moved to the northwest, Mason eventually peaked with maximum sustained winds of 200 miles per hour, making it the most intense hurricane in the Atlantic basin.

By September 30, Mason had departed the region, leaving extensive damage in its wake. A low-pressure system stalled over the Bahamas caused Mason to turn to the northeast, and it set its sights on Bermuda. Cooler waters in this region, stirred up by the extremely large Hurricane Isaac that preceded it, prevented Mason from gaining additional strength and it began weakening, right around the time a concentric eyewall was observed - signifying an eyewall-replacement cycle. As Mason progressed to the northeast, it began to rapidly weaken - but not below major hurricane status. On October 2, Mason struck the island nation of Bermuda with winds sustained at 115 miles per hour - making it the strongest to strike the territory since Nicole, as well as the most devastating since Fabian. Once departing the territory, cold waters and unfavorable atmospheric conditions further caused Mason to unravel, and it became an extratropical cyclone while a Category 2 hurricane - leading to the development of an extremely rare Category 2-equivalent extratropical cyclone. The remnants of Mason eventually struck the British Isles with winds of 90 miles per hour and gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour.

Throughout its path, Mason caused at least $45.21 billion (2036 USD) in damage and 78 fatalities. This made it the third-costliest Atlantic hurricane at the time. Residents across the Leeward Islands, especially those on Antigua, stated they had never witnessed a storm so violent in their lifetime, though older residents compared it to Hurricane Luis. Due to the extensive damage wrought by Mason, it was retired and replaced with Malcolm for the 2042 Atlantic hurricane season, respectively.