2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season (AGCK, Sass, Hype, Odile, Bob, Collin, HH, Azure)

The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active hurricane season on record, due to a Very Strong La Nina that happened after the El Nino in 2016 was sheared, this season was the strongest season on record, with many storms becoming major hurricanes. Also, after several decades of having old naming lists, they decided to refresh the naming lists with some new names, however, some old names were kept on, and you'll find out which one of those were kept on.

Hurricane Avril
On January 28, a low-pressure disturbance of showers and thunderstorms 175 miles NE of the Virgin Islands began to organize as circulation around the outer bands of the low improved. The low changed little in intensity into January 29, until convection began a rapid increase at the core, increasing the wind speeds to 35 MPH, officially classifying the storm as Tropical Depression One. Favorable conditions continued well into the next day, as the circulation continued to improve and the size of the storm increased to 90 square miles, now named Tropical Storm Avril. Avril then shifted NE for 20 miles before making a complete loop and shifting SE. As Avril continued to track slowly towards the Lesser Antilles, moisture continued to build up within Avril's core and wind speeds increased to 80 MPH, making Avril a Category 1. The next day, Avril began an explosive intensification trend, hitting a top speed of 155 MPH by the end of the day January 31, baffling NHC scientists due to the fact that Category 4 Major Hurricanes are a rare appearance in the Atlantic in January. On February 1, Avril picked up speed and peaked at 165 MPH, having become a C5. As Avril approached the Lesser Antilles, wind shear affected the storm, causing it to weaken back to C4 within hours. Later that same day, Avril weakened to 125 MPH. On February 2, Avril hit the Lesser Antilles as a 120 MPH C3, causing extensive devastation with the storm surge and hurricane-force winds. The worst of the devastation was on the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica, where winds peaked at 122 MPH, causing extensive damage to homes and beaches. Over 12,000 homes and businesses were destroyed by the storm, and a further 15,600 were heavily damaged by the storm surge or high winds. In total, Avril is one of the worst hurricanes to hit the Lesser Antilles, having resulted in $162 billion in damages and nearly 50 deaths.

Avril then entered the Caribbean after causing widespread damage in the Lesser Antilles, weakening back to 80 MPH. The storm then shifted WSW and briefly re-intensified to 90 MPH before weakening back to 80 MPH again. On February 3, Avril made landfall in Valencia, Venezuela as a 75 MPH Category 1 hurricane. Causing minimal damage to buildings, trees, and signs, Avril's slowed track resulted in nearly 12 inches of rainfall, which resulted in dangerous driving conditions, flash flooding, and mudslides across Western Venezuela. A few hours after making landfall, Avril weakened to a tropical storm, eventually dissipating near Barquisimeto due to land interaction and drier air. Avril caused less damage in Venezuela then in the Lesser Antilles, causing damages near $478 million and resulting five fatalities due to a mudslide in the Parque Nacional Cerro Saroche region of Venezuela, attributed to heavy rainfall. Other damage included spotty power outages, widespread flooding, downed trees and electrical wires in populated areas, and minor damage to homes and wooden structures. Avril set new records for being the first major hurricane in the Atlantic to form in January and being the first hurricane in the Atlantic to form in January since Alex of 2016, as well as being the first C5 in the Atlantic since Felix of 2007, and, finally, being the first C5 in the Atlantic to occur in January.

Hurricane Bella
On February 26, an extratropical low stalled about 400 miles off the coast of Martinique started to produce some small thunderstorms, with peak wind gusts going about 35mph, and causing some torrential rains. These thunderstorms later started to slowly get organized, and became Tropical Disturbance 02F at around 3AM on February 27. Tropical Disturbance 02F impacted Martinique with 45mph winds, quickly getting more organized and bringing wind gusts up to 60mph, torrential flooding, and damages up to $52 million on the island of Martinique, strengthening to Tropical Storm Bella, skipping over tropical depression status, becoming the second storm to form of the season. Bella then went northwest, hitting the Virgin Islands, bringing only light damage, however heavy winds did impact the island, as Bella strengthened to 70mph, where it stalled until the next day. On February 28th, Tropical Storm Bella began to move northwest, strengthening to 75mph, becoming a category 1 hurricane, as it made landfall in West Cuba, bringing heavy flooding and wind gusts up to 80mph, bringing, however, a lighter amount of damage, because the people were surprisingly prepared, as it brought $10 billion in the wrath. Bella then went north, hitting Florida as it intensified rapidly to a category 2 hurricane with 100mph winds, hitting Miami direct on, the outer bands barely reaching the tip of Alabama. Miami then got a large amount of heavy damages, mainly caused by the EF4 tornado that teared through the Miami metropolis, where it once again stalled. On March 1, once again, it stalled, increasing to 115mph, becoming the second major hurricane of the season, bringing more wind gusts and heavy rains, before going northwest once more, tearing through the center of Florida, even causing a smaller 'hurricane' to form in Lake Okeechobee, before Bella absorbed the hurricane, strengthening to 120mph, becoming a high end category 3. On February 30th, it then started to move at a faster rate of 20mph, finishing it's wrath in Florida, bringing a total of $20 billion in the damages. On March 2nd, it reached peak intensity of 125mph, rapidly making landfall in Texas as a category 3 with 125mph winds, causing lots of damages with $35 billion in the wrath, before going rapidly inland, first weakening down to a category 2 with 100mph winds as it went 100 miles inland, then rapidly weakening down to a tropical storm as it hit 250 miles inland. On March 3rd, it went inland, weakening down to Tropical Depression Two, then Tropical Disturbance 02F, then rapidly decreasing in intensity, bringing a light $1 billion in the wrath. Overall, there were 379 deaths, most of them in the Miami tornado. They also brought $83 billion its wrath. Bella was retired and replaced with Baxter, the name Bella was retired because of the amount of damages and deaths it caused.

Hurricane Collin
On February 24, the National Hurricane Center started to monitor another early season area of interest for potential development. The Area of interest formed a LLCC and became organized enough to be classified Tropical Depression Three. Three would struggle to intensify because of nearby, rapidly intensifying Hurricane Bella. Collin would become a Tropical Storm, on March 2, and when Bella would weaken to a remnant low, Collin explosively intensify to a Category 3 Major Hurricane. Collin would then hit the Leeward Islands and weaken to a Category 1 Hurricane. Damage in the Leeward Islands reported were Moderate Damage. Collin would then move into an area of very warm water and extremely low wind shear and again explosively intensify into a Category 4 Hurricane, aimed right for the Homeland (The United States) President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency with the possibility of very catastrophic damage occurring, He also encouraged to move as far inland as possible as high surf would be a very dangerous problem with Collin. Collin would reach peak intensity of 150 MPH and 945 mb, and would affect the US the next day at the same intensity. Collin would cause Major damage in some states and moderate damage in most others. Collin would then weaken into a tropical storm on March 12, and become a remnant low on March 15. Collin's remnants would go on to cause major problems for Spain and the surrounding countries.

The Name Collin was officially removed from the naming list by the WMO, and replaced by Caleb. Collin was known to of caused over $90 Billion (2018 US Dollars) during it's total lifetime. This would make it the first time in history that the first 3 hurricanes to form in a season would cause over $1 Billion. Collin was also blamed for 565 deaths total (all direct) during it's total lifetime.

Hurricane Elizabeta
On March 8, a medium sized cluster of thunderstorms broke off of a small low pressure system, quickly becoming organized about 400 miles east of Florida. The cluster of thunderstorms then became Tropical Depression Five, with winds peaking at 35mph. On March 9, the storm became Tropical Storm Elizabeta, with winds going up to 60mph, as the storm quickly got an eye, as the pressure went down rapidly to 996mb, as it moved southwest, making landfall in Miami as a tropical storm with 65mph winds. After making landfall in Miami, the storm quickly went up in intensity, becoming a category 1 hurricane with 90mph winds as it made landfall in Key West, quickly making landfall there and exiting later that day, strengthening to a category 2 with 100mph winds. On March 10, Elizabeta entered the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, rapidly intensifying to a category 4 with 150mph as it went northwest, making landfall along Texas and Louisiana, before making a U-Turn and leaving, before strengthening to a C5 with 200mph quickly. On March 11, the hurricane went straight south, making landfall along West Cuba, bringing heavy winds, torrential rains, heavy flooding, and cancels or diversions of over 10,000 flights headed to Cuba, as it increased way in size to about 1000 miles, the outer bands barely touching Florida, as it made landfall along the Yucatan. On March 12, it started to rapidly deintensify, going straight to a tropical storm within hours, before dissipating. However, on March 13, it briefly regenerated, as it became a tropical storm again, with peak winds of 70mph, before making landfall in the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles, going up to 85mph. On March 13, it went up to 90mph briefly, going south and making landfall in South America, before dissipating early March 14. Overall, Elizabeta didn't cause much damage surprisingly and only a few fatalities, therefore Elizabeta wasn't retired.

Tropical Storm Fay
On late March 31, a tiny tropical disturbance formed 10 miles to the east of Belize. The small circulation shortly reached Laguna De Términos, Campeche, It was declared a tropical depression directly over Ciudad Del Carmen, Campeche on April 1. The tiny depression was slightly larger than 2008's Marco, Nonetheless the depression became Tropical Storm Fay several hours after formation. Fay also simultaneusly peaked with winds of 40 miles per hour. It was operationally stronger with 45mph winds. Fay made landfall over Veracruz, Veracruz and dissipated shortly thereafter.

Hurricane Giselle
On April 2, after Fay dissipated, a large cluster of storms started to get organized near South America, quickly intensifying to Tropical Depression Seven due to the warm waters, as favorable conditions allowed it to grow to a diameter of 50 miles, as it became Tropical Storm Giselle, heading north away from South America, growing to a small size of 100 miles. On April 3, it remained a Tropical Storm with 70mph winds, as it made landfall near the Yucatan, bringing some light showers but gusty winds, downing a couple small trees and causing power to go out for several days, bringing a light $103 million in damages. On April 4, it became Hurricane Giselle, peaking with 85mph winds as it exited the Yucatan, and went northwest and made landfall along Cuba, bringing more heavy rain but less gusty winds, causing sporadic flooding around Cuba and diverting around 1,000 flights in Cuba, due to heavy winds near high altitudes, as it strengthened to 90mph inland over Cuba, bringing around $930 million in damages. On April 5, it was close to strengthening, but it didn't, as it made landfall along Key West, weakening down to 80mph as it turned northwest, making landfall in eastern Florida, causing several tornadoes to form, including a large EF2 that went through Cape Coral, bringing $1 billion in damages. Giselle began to grow outer bands, which barely made it past Alabama. Giselle then began to move northwest once more, making landfall in Alabama and Louisiana as a 70mph tropical storm, causing the levees to break in New Orleans, repeating what happened in Katrina, except it only flooded around 50% of the city, as New Orleans was prepared this time, however, it did take a long time for the water to dry, bringing another $1 billion in damages. On April 6, it turned west and made landfall in Texas as a 55mph tropical storm, only bringing light rain showers and winds going up to 30mph in Texas, bringing no damage. On April 7, it rapidly went inland, and dissipated near the panhandle of Oklahoma.

Hurricane Haley
On April 15, an upper level extratropical low 335 miles Southwest of the Azores began a slight shift southeast, strengthening into a subtropical depression with 30 MPH winds. The depression then shifted again, this time southwest. An area of favorable activity quickly intensified the system to 50 MPH, becoming Subtropical Storm Haley on April 17. Haley then shifted directly west and continued to track that way across the Northern Atlantic for the remainder of the storm's life. Favorable conditions continued to into April 18, along with relatively low wind shear, allowed the subtropical system to become fully tropical that same day. Convection continued to increase at the storm's center as the pressure rapidly dropped, eventually strengthening to 65 MPH by the end of the day April 18. On April 19, Haley developed a pinhole eye to which the storm had winds exceeding 75 MPH, making Haley a C1. The storm then shifted WNW, continuing to rapidly intensify.

On April 20, Haley intensified to 105 MPH as the storm shifted WSW, slamming a cargo ship named White Star with 25-foot waves and winds exceeding 100 MPH. The storm threw four crew members from the ship, ultimately resulting in their deaths. Continuing on a track west once again, favorable conditions allowed for further intensification to take place, as Haley strengthened to 140 MPH, brushing the island of Bermuda with gale-force winds near 65 MPH and heavy rainfall from the storm's outer rain bands. A weak tornado near Hamilton was also reported, having resulted in two deaths. By the end of the day, Haley peaked at 155 MPH and 924 mbar. However, on April 22, Haley underwent an eyewall-replacement cycle, further inhibiting development of the storm, instead causing it to degenerate rapidly. On April 22, Haley made landfall in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as a heavily weakened Category 2 hurricane still producing 100 MPH winds, causing extensive damage. A 24-foot storm surge resulted in heavy erosion to beaches across the northern end of the state, strong rip currents resulting in beach closings as far north as Corolla, North Carolina. High winds resulted in heavy building damage to coastal apartments and building complexes, having shattered windows and causing moderate structural damage. Nearly 2 million people lost power from Georgetown to North River due to strong winds. On April 23, Haley further weakened to a 75 MPH C1 near Bennettsville, South Carolina, causing danagerous travel conditions on I-15 and I-52 as a result of heavy rainfall due to the storm's slowed movement. Nearly 15 inches of rain fell during the storm's landfall, resulting in sporadic flash flooding in several areas inland. On April 24, Haley weakened to a Tropical Storm and later a depression as it crossed the border into North Carolina, disorganizing completely into a squall line of storms that resulted in the April 24, 2018 North Carolina tornado outbreak, of which resulted in nearly 90 tornadoes in western North Carolina. While most were EF0 or EF1, an EF4 in Monroe caused $793 million in damages and resulted in 5 fatalities. Later that day, Haley broke apart and dissipated over Charlotte, having caused $45 billion in damages and resulting in a total of 78 fatalities.

Hurricane Irwin
On April 30, a tropical wave exited the coast of Africa. Two days later, southwest of Cape Verde, it developed into Tropical Storm Irwin. Irwin then became a category 1 hurricane on May 5. Two days later, Irwin became a category 3 major hurricane. On May 8, Irwin weakened back to a category 2 due to an eyewall replacement cycle, but regained category 3 intensity on May 10. Irwin then weakened back to a category 2 on May 12 and a category 1 on May 15. Irwin brushed the coast of North Carolina on May 14, but did not cause major damage. On May 19, Irwin turned extratropical while still producing hurricane force winds.

Tropical Storm Jon
On May 6, a tropical disturbance formed near the coast of Cuba, quickly becoming Tropical Storm Jon, going east, not hitting any land, as it stayed at a small diameter of 50 miles. Tropical Storm Jon then exited the Caribbean, surprisingly turning annular as it grew a well-defined eye about 500 miles off the coast of South Carolina, growing outer bands that barely touched SC, bringing only light, gusty rain showers, and even 'warm snow' to some of SC/NC, one of the only storms to have ever done this. On May 7, it reached a peak of 50mph off the coast, going northeast and nearing extratropical status, weakening down to 40mph as it neared Newfoundland, but unexpectedly turned east and started to move at a fast rate for around 5 hours, nearing Spain, about 1000 miles off the coast, before it started to slow again, and go northeast once more, missing Spain and the UK, as it neared Norway. On May 9, it weakened down to Tropical Depression Ten as it once again went north, missing Norway, and it then turned northeast, still producing 30mph wind gusts and some light rain showers, as it went more north, hitting the ice caps, causing very little damage, as no deaths were reported, the only damage was a house window that was broken, causing a little $2000 in damage. On May 10, it turned extratropical halfway across the Siberian ice caps, dissipating around the evening of May 10th. Jon caused no fatalities and only $2000 in damage, therefore Jon was not retired from the season.

Subtropical Cyclone Karrie
Subtropical Cyclone Karrie is special because of the unique track. On May 12, a low stationed near Virginia started producing some thunderstorms with subtropical characteristics, not getting organized quickly but becoming Subtropical Storm Karrie late May 12, producing 40mph winds as it went out northeast, producing some heavy rain in isolated area with occasional wind gusts going up to 50mph. On May 13, as it went out northeast, it went straightly east briefly, before going southeast, becoming one of the first Subtropical Cyclones, producing 90mph winds. The storm then went east, then northeast again, before briefly stalling once more. On May 14, the cyclone strengthened to 100mph, becoming a category 2 subtropical cyclone producing 100mph winds, as it went east, then southeast. The storm then stalled before moving southwest, still moving until around 6AM on May 15, where it then went northeast. The storm then produced one of the first ever 'heart' as it then turned west, making landfall in North Carolina, peaking at 105mph, before rapidly weakening going inland, producing heavy winds and heavy gusts, causing heavy damage and causing local flooding around NC. On May 16, it still went inland, weakening down to 65mph, becoming Subtropical Storm Karrie once more, before producing some light rain and some light gusts around Tennessee. On May 17, it weakened rapidly and dissipated. Overall, it didn't cause much damage, but it did cause heavy flooding and two deaths. The name "Karrie" was close to retirement, but instead was kept and re-used for the 2024 season.

Hurricane Michael
An subtropical depression formed to the southwest of the Azores on May 26 from an extratropical cyclone's core. The subtropical depression was quickly named Michael as it attained winds of 40mph, Transitioning into a tropical storm shortly afterwards. Michael would rapidly intensify into a hurricane 12 hours after becoming a tropical storm, Michael became a category 4 hurricane shortly afterwards. Hurricane warnings and watches were put for the Azores islands on May 27. Strong shear weakened Michael into a category 3 hurricane shortly after peak intensity, Combined with an eyewall replacement cycle and cooler waters, Michael weakened into a category 1 hurricane. Skirting the Azores as an tropical storm, Michael rapidly dissipated afterwards.

Hurricane Nolan
A extratropical system crossed the equator on May 25, while somehow intact. The extratropical system transitioned into a tropical storm 5 days later and was named Nolan on May 30. Nolan continued to the west, and then turned northwest on May 31. Nolan became a hurricane later that day, then explosively intensified and became a Category 3. Only hours later, Nolan became a Category 4. Then finally a Category 5 as it neared Wilmington, North Carolina. 35 hours later, on June 2, Nolan made landfall directly in Wilmington, North Carolina at peak intensity. Nolan started to weaken, but however was not done. Nolan was still a Category 3 when it entered Ohio, and plowed through Bremen, Lancaster and Columbus, still a hurricane. Luckily, Nolan had weakened to a 95 mph Category 1 hurricane before hitting Bremen, Lancaster and Columbus. Nolan continued and started going to the north, directly hitting Sandusky and nearly missing Cleveland on June 4 as a 75 mph Category 1 hurricane. Noland started to weaken rapidly, and dissipated on June 5 over Lansing, Michigan.