2020 Atlantic hurricane season official (Farm/TropicsWeather)

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is a very active and destructive season. The season officially starts in June 30 and ends on November 30. There are total of 23 tropical depressions, 20 named storms, 14 hurricanes and 8 hurricanes in the entire season.

Hurricane Arthur
Early on June 7, the NHC began monitoring a disturbance to the northeast of the Lesser Antilles for potential tropical cyclone development. The disturbance moved northwestward and started to rapidly organize. The NHC initiated advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone One at 09:00 UTC two days later. Few hours later, it strengthened to a tropical depression, and later Tropical Storm Arthur. On June 12, Arthur moved northeast of Puerto Rico and started to turn northward. Arthur intensified into a Category 1 hurricane a day later, and peaked with winds of 85 mph. Arthur weakened, then finally turned extratropical on June 16, last located hundred kilometers northeast of Newfoundland.

Tropical Depression Two
A broad area of low pressure began to be monitored over the southeast Gulf of Mexico on June 22 for potential tropical cyclone development. The system gradually developed while moving slowly westward. On June 23, the surface circulation became better defined, and that the system is better organized. Few hours later, it became a tropical depression. Tropical Depression Two barely strengthened due to higher wind shear, but it managed to stay intact before landfall in Mexico, After landfall, the depression disintegrated.

Tropical Storm Bertha
A broad area of low pressure persisted across the northwestern Caribbean Sea through the end of June. The low tracked across Western Caribbean and, following an increase in convection while south of Yucatan Peninsula, and organized into a tropical depression around 00:00 UTC on June 30. The depression strengthened to a tropical depression while being tracked north of Yucatan. As it emerged to a tropical depression on July 1, Bertha weakened to a tropical depression, but it managed to restrengthen and peak with 60 mph winds. Bertha made it's final landfall on Louisiana on July 4, and it turned to an extratropical cyclone a day later.

Hurricane Cristobal
Around 00:00 UTC on July 12, a tropical wave developed into Tropical Depression Four, while located southeast of the Lesser Antilles. Moving west-northwestward, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Cristobal later that day. Cristobal maintained disorganized but it started to strengthen as it approaches Jamaica. On July 15, Cristobal strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane. Cristobal maintained it's strength for few days before weakening as it enters the Western Caribbean due to cooler temperatures and higher shear. Cristobal weakened to a tropical storm on late July 16, and it made landfall in Yucatan as a tropical depression. Cristobal fully disintegrated on July 18, after it just entered the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Dolly
On  July 10, the NHC highlighted the potential for tropical cyclone development off the western coast of Africa in subsequent days. A weak area of low pressure associated emerged into the eastern Atlantic fewdays later. It did not have enough convection and environmental conditions for rapid intensification but it continued to organize gradually. On July 14, a circulation finally developed by, with a tropical depression developing at 12:00 UTC. Initially, the depression moved westward, but later it started to move northward due to a presence of a high pressure area. Around that time, the cyclone intensified into Tropical Storm Dolly. Dolly strengthened gradually, although steadily moving northwestward. An eye finally appeared on July 17, and later that day, the NHC upgraded Dolly to a hurricane. Dolly is steadily but still gradually intensifying as it passes north of Bahamas. Dolly suddenly strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in North Carolina after it weakened slightly. Dolly emerged into Atlantic as a tropical storm, but it is already rapidly degrading. Dolly turned extratropical on July 22.

Hurricane Edouard
Early on July 13, a well-defined tropical wave, although accompanied with disorganized convection, exited the west coast of Africa. Located in a region of low wind shear, a low pressure area developed and became increasingly better defined as it drifted westward. The tropical wave developed into Tropical Depression Six on July 18. Wind shear initially caused the depression to stay weak, though by July 22, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Edouard as it enters the Caribbean Sea. As the storm approached the Central Caribbean on July 25, wind shear and dry air severely halted strengthening, low-level circulation was exposed and convection was diminished. Edouard was downgraded to a tropical depression afterwards. When wind shear decreased, Edouard began strengthening, but later interrupted by it's landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula. Edouard began rapidly intensifying as it enters the Gulf of Mexico. It peaked at Category 2 strength with winds of 105 mph before making landfall in Mexico. Edouard rapidly disintegrated and dissipated on August 2.

Tropical Storm Fay
An area of disturbed weather within a persistent, broad trough across the Caribbean organized into the seventh tropical depression of the season by 09:00 UTC on July 29. The depression organized and become Tropical Storm Fay. Fay organized for some time while in the Gulf of Mexico, before landfall in Florida. Despite landfall, Fay actually managed to strengthen and reach it's peak intensity with winds of 65 mph. Fay started to weaken as it approaches the Central Atlantic. Fay becomes extratropical on August 3 and was last seen a day later.

Hurricane Gonzalo
A tropical wave departed the western coast of Africa on August 12, becoming associated with an another tropical wave to form a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on August 17. The depression recurved northward and quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Gonzalo a day after formation. Gonzalo started to turn northeastward while strengthening. Gonzalo became a hurricane on August 19, but it fluctuated in intensity between hurricane and strong tropical storm due to changes in sea surface temperatures and wind shear. Gonzalo attained it's peak winds of 80 mph before starting to weaken. Gonzalo weakened to a tropical storm but managed to retain it's intensity before officially turning extratropical on August 23.

Tropical Storm Hanna
A large tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on August 16. The system moved rapidly westward under the influence of a subtropical ridge. ASCAT passes indicating a closed circulation confirmed that Tropical Storm Hanna had developed by 12:00 UTC on August 18. Hanna strengthened a bit but it maintained weak at the rest of it's lifetime. Hanna eventually was sheared to it's demise on August 23. when it was degenerated to a remnant low that day.

Hurricane Isaias
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on August 19 and spawned a low-pressure area by the following day. At 12:00 UTC on August 21, a tropical depression developed about west-southwest of Dakar, Senegal. The depression moved steadily westward and intensified into Tropical Storm Isaias early on August 23. Despite moderate wind shear, Isaias continued to strengthen while passing south of Cape Verde, due to a moist atmosphere and warm ocean temperatures. Isaias later entered the area favorable for intense and rapid intensification, and it strengthened to hurricane strength on August 25 on 00:00 UTC. It strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane a day later, but slight eyewall replacement cycle slightly weakened Isaias. While approaching the Caribbean, Isaias started to rapidly intensity, reaching Category 4 strength on August 26. Isaias reached Category 5 strength on August 27 as it crossed Lesser Antilles.

Isaias even strengthened further while in the Eastern Caribbean, and it reached it's peak intensity of 175 mph with pressure of 910 milibars. Isaias featured an excellent structure and it's wind field also grew very large. Isaias made landfall in Puerto Rico on August 28, 12:00 UTC as a Category 5 hurricane. Isaias weakened a bit, but it managed to restrengthen to low-end Category 5 strength before weakening significantly. Isaias moved northeastward and it significantly weakened, and it finally turned extratropical on September 3.

Tropical Storm Josephine
An area of low pressure formed north of Puerto Rico on August 25. Tracking northward, the low-pressure center is initially weak and disorganized. Decreasing vertical wind shear allowed for the development of convection, and Dvorak satellite classifications were initiated early on August 25 given the organization on satellite imagery. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) subsequently classified the system as Tropical Depression Eleven at 12:00 UTC on August 26. After a day, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Josephine. Josephine tracked westward while approaching towards Florida. Due to the ridge, the storm did not continue towards landfall, but it made a loop while fluctuating in intensity. Josephine then turned northward before making landfall in North Carolina as a tropical storm. Josephine turned extratropical on September 1 and dissipated a day after.

Hurricane Kyle
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on September 9. Later, the system became more distinguishable and better-defined, with a low-level circulation forming on September 10. It was reported that Tropical Depression Twelve formed at 00:00 UTC on September 11. Although strong wind shear kept the depression disorganized, it was able to intensify into Tropical Storm Kyle about twelve hours later. Kyle moved northward and began to swiftly intensify. On September 14, NHC upgraded Kyle to a hurricane. Kyle managed to hold on it's intensity for quite some time before starting to lose tropical characteristics as it enters cooler waters near Azores, Kyle was downgraded to a tropical storm on September 16 and just six hours later, Kyle transitioned to an extratropical cyclone. After that day, the storm began merging with an extratropical frontal system and eventually became unidentifiable by early on September 17.

Tropical Depression Thirteen
A broad area of low pressure associated with remnants of a cold front developed into Tropical Depression Fifteen in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on September 13. It strengthened for a bit before landfall in Belize in which it degenerated to a remnant low. The low has maintained some convection, and as it barely enters the Gulf of Mexico, Thirteen generated to a depression. However, after 12 hours, the depression degenerated to a remnant low again after landfall in Mexico.

Hurricane Laura
A new disturbance developed from a tropical wave that moved off Africa on September 9. The wave pushed west, organizing into a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on September 15 and into Tropical Storm Laura six hours later while located a few hundred miles west of Barbados. The cyclone continued to move westwatd after formation while continuing to intensify. The system reached hurricane intensity on September 18 before turning northwestward, and Laura attained its peak winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) while moving west of Jamaica. Laura made landfall in Cuba at peak intensity which caused Laura to dramatically weaken, and the storm fell to a tropical storm by 00:00 UTC on September 21. Favorable conditions allowed Laura to strengthen and oscillate between a tropical storm and hurricane as it accelerated northeastward through the Atlantic. By 00:00 UTC on September 26, the cyclone succumbed to an increasingly unfavorable area and turned extratropical. The storm is absorbed by a larger extratropical low south of Newfoundland early on September 29.

Hurricane Marco
A westward-moving tropical wave developed into a tropical depression on September 18, before becoming Tropical Storm Marco on the following day. Tracking westward, Marco gradually strengthened, reaching hurricane intensity on September 22. On September 24, the storm strengthened significantly, becoming a Category 3 hurricane south of Puerto Rico. Marco continued to intensify, and favorable conditions in the Caribbean allowed the storm to intensify to a Category 4 hurricane, and later it briefly became a Category 5 hurricane. Marco weakened to Category 4 strength, but it soon entered the Jamaica Channel and the area has favored Marco for a much deeper intensification. The storm passed north of Jamaica and south of Cuba on September 26 while regaining Category 5 strength, and Marco started to rapidly deepen. From 160 mph, Marco intensified quick, reaching up to 190 mph within hours, and the pressure dropped from 926 milibars to 894 milibars while in the channel. Marco retained it's strength before making landfall in Cuba, in which weakened Marco to a Category 4 hurricane.

Storm Names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 2020. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 2026 season. This is the same list used for the 2014 season. Storms were named Isaias, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy and Vicky for the first time in 2020. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.

Retirement
TBA