Hurricane Norton (2029)

Hurricane Norton was the first December Atlantic category 2 hurricane on record, as well as the first Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the United States in December. Norton formed in the western Caribbean Sea as typical late November Atlantic tropical cyclones do, but managed to stay tropical and actually strengthen in the western Atlantic over anomalously warm waters.

Meteorological History
On November 23, the National Hurricane Center noted that tropical cyclone development was possible in the southwestern Caribbean over the coming days. On November 28 at 18:00 UTC, the system acquired sufficient organization to be designated a tropical depression. 6 hours later, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Norton. Norton strengthened over warmer than normal water temperatures and fairly low wind shear, acquiring hurricane strength by 00:00 UTC November 30. Norton made landfall in Cuba as a minimal hurricane, and then weakened to a tropical storm. Norton then made landfall in Southern Florida as a moderate tropical storm with winds of 60 mph. Because of a combination of low wind shear, baroclinic processes, high instability and unusually warm sea surface temperatures, Norton was able to strengthen in an unusual spot for the time of year.

Norton regained hurricane strength at 06:00 UTC on December 1, and developed a well-defined eye around this time. High instability fueled rapid intensification - extremely rare for the time of year - and Norton was able to strengthen to a strong category 2 hurricane before landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina around 00:00 UTC on December 2. 6 hours after landfall, Norton transitioned into a hurricane-force extratropical cyclone. The extratropical cyclone continued up the Atlantic coast, eventually merging with a powerful nor'easter to dump heavy snow in the Northeastern United States. The cyclone dissipated on December 4.