Hurricane Michael(2024)

Michael was an extremely destructive hurricane that dealt major damage to widespread locations. Most of it's damage was dealt in Florida and Cuba. Michael was the strongest storm of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the costliest hurricane on record(tied with Katrina of 2005 and Harvey of 2017). He spawned in the Central Atlantic, quickly intensifying into a Category 5 Hurricane while slashing Puerto Rico and Cuba with it's outer rainbands, making a Category 5 landfall in Florida and even Georgia(as a Category 3). It went out to sea and became Extratropical on September 15th before dissipating the next day.

Meteorological History
A tropical wave was discovered on August 24th. It became associated with showers and thunderstorms and was finally classified as Tropical Depression Fourteen on August 26th. The storm started a fairly linear Northwest track for the next several days. On August 27th, the Tropical Depression strengthened to become Tropical Storm Michael. A few hours later, Michael began rapid intensification and on the afternoon on August 28th was classified as a Hurricane.

A renaissance craft on August 31st flew into Michael and recorded minimal Category 4 level winds, classifying Michael as a Category 4 storm only 250 miles North of Cuba. Not long after, Michael was found to have Category 5 Hurricane strength that night, at 175 mph with an intensity of 897 mbar. Michael would continue a similar path for the next 2 days. It peaked on September 2nd with winds of 185 mph and a peak intensity of 892 mbar(26.34 inHg).

Michael would make a direct landfall the next morning in Miami, Florida with winds of 180 mph. Michael would then make a deliberate Northward track, delivering major flooding to all of Florida. On September 8th, Michael started to curve Northeast as a Category 3 Hurricane. Michael left the US border after regenerating into a Category 4 Hurricane on September 12th after it's outer rainbands brought more rain to Southern and Central Georgia and Northern Florida. Michael would start to enter cooler waters and subsequently dissipate down to a Category 1 Hurricane before making a full Extratropical transition on September 15th. Michael dissipated fully on September 16th, about 750 miles Northeast of the spot where it formed.

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico took damage mainly from it's outer rainbands as a moderate Category 3 Hurricane. Michael killed a reported 28 people in Puerto Rico. Not only that but, Michael left more than 1.8 million customers without power and dealt a reported 221.8 million in damage.

Cuba
Michael's impact on Cuba was harsh. Michael dealt damages to Cuba with it's outer rainbands(it peaked at this time). Michael was a Category 5 Hurricane for most of it's time slashing at Cuba. Michael left 3.9 million people without power and killed 304 people. It dealt 49.7 billion in damage.

Florida, Georgia and the East Coast
Michael made havoc in Florida and Georgia as a Category 5, 4 and 3 Hurricane. It killed almost 650 people and dealt almost 60 billion in damage. Much of the East coast was effected with moderate rainfall during Michael's turn towards open waters as a Category 3 and 4 Hurricane. No one was killed and damage to the East Coast was minimal.

Records
Michael made it a 3-way tie for costliest hurricane on record. In addition, Michael became the strongest landfalling hurricane on record. Michael also set a record for most tropical systems absorb in a lifetime as Michael was found to have absorbed Tropical remnants of Leslie and Oscar during it's lifespan.

Retirement
Michael was retired due to damage, rainfall and strength. It was replaced by Micah for the 2030 Atlantic Hurricane Season and will never be used for another Atlantic Hurricane again.