NOTICE: THIS IS IN NO WAY BASED ON REAL LIFE STORMS - THE STORMS LISTED HERE ARE ENTIRELY FICTIONAL FOR THE YEAR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE SEASON IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD
The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season was an inactive season in the Atlantic basin, producing 8 storms, 4 hurricanes and just 1 major hurricane. The season was the only one between 2020 and 2025 to not result in any retired tropical cyclone names, despite being rather destructive. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates that conventionally delimit the period during each year when tropical cyclone formation is most likely. The season started rather early, with Alex forming in late May, eventually becoming the strongest May system to hit Florida since Beryl of the 2012 season. After Alex dissipated, June lacked any tropical activity, and the next system only formed in July, a small Gulf of Mexico tropical storm with the name Bonnie. The final storm, Nine, dissipated on December 1st, marking the first time a season featured both pre-season and post-season activity since 2007.
Pre-season forecasts were overall accurate in predicting the season's activity, which was low due to very highly unfavorable ENSO conditions, and a cooler than average Main Development Region, with a dense Saharan Air Layer active during most of the season. The season was well below average in damage, death toll, Accumulated Cyclone Energy, and other activity. Despite that, it was considered more active than the 2020 season, even with more hostile conditions. Eventually, towards the end of the season, the ENSO began to start a shift towards a state favorable to Atlantic activity, eventually resulting in the hyperactive 2023 season.
While the season was not destructive, it was impactful, with all but one system all impacting or brushing land areas. Four of the tropical cyclones impacted the United States. Alex struck Florida as a rare May tropical storm, Bonnie almost made landfall in the Florida panhandle but eventually degenerated into a low pressure trough, Colin went through the Lesser Antilles, while Earl impacted multiple islands across the Caribbean before almost hitting the United States Gulf Coast as a major hurricane. Fiona and Hermine both insignificantly impacted the Azores, Gaston struck North Carolina, and Nine hit the Canary Islands towards the end of its lifespan. Overall, the storms of 2022 resulted in more than $1.84 billion (2022 USD) in damages, and 66 recorded deaths, direct and indirect.
Seasonal forecasts[]
| Source | Date | Named
storms |
Hurricanes | Major
hurricanes | |
| Average (1981ā2010) | 12.1 | 6.4 | 2.7 | ||
| Record high activity | 28 | 15 | 7 | ||
| Record low activity | 4 | 2ā | 0ā | ||
| āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā | |||||
| TSR | December 19, 2021 | 11 | 5 | 2 | |
| TSR | April 11, 2022 | 10 | 5 | 2 | |
| NOAA | April 15, 2022 | 9 | 5 | 3 | |
| CSU | April 15, 2022 | 7 | 3 | 1 | |
| CCU | May 29, 2022 | 9 | 4 | 2 | |
| TSR | June 1, 2022 | 10 | 4 | 1 | |
| NOAA | June 1, 2022 | 10 | 5 | 2 | |
| UKMO | July 1, 2022 | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
| NOAA | August 7, 2022 | 9 | 4 | 1 | |
| CSU | August 8, 2022 | 8 | 4 | 2 | |
| TSR | August 8, 2022 | 8 | 4 | 1 | |
| āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā | |||||
| Actual activity | 8 | 4 | 1 | ||
In advance of, and during, each hurricane season, several forecasts of hurricane activity are issued by national meteorological services, scientific agencies, and noted hurricane experts. These include forecasters from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s National Hurricane and Climate Prediction Center, Tropical Storm Risk, the United Kingdom's Met Office, and Philip J. Klotzbach, William M. Gray and their associates at Colorado State University (CSU). The forecasts include weekly and monthly changes in significant factors that help determine the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a particular year. According to NOAA and CSU, the average Atlantic hurricane season between 1981 and 2010 contained roughly 12 tropical storms, six hurricanes, three major hurricanes, and an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of 66ā103 units. NOAA typically categorizes a season as either above-average, average, or below-average based on the cumulative ACE Index, but the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a hurricane season are considered occasionally as well.
Pre-season outlooks[]
On December 19, 2021, TSR released their initial forecast of the season, calling for a near average season, with 11 named storms developing, 5 of them becoming hurricanes, and 2 hurricanes reaching major hurricane status. They also predicted the ACE index to be below 70, due to an El NiƱo phase in the ENSO. On April 11th, the TSR updated their forecast to 10 named storms, 5 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. NOAA released their prediction on the 15th, predicting 9 named storms, 5 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes, and an average season, due to predictions calling for the El NiƱo to remain rather strong. CSU also released their initial prediction on the same day, placing below both the TSR and NOAA with 7 named storms, 3 hurricanes, and 1 major hurricane predicted, and an overall below normal season. On May 29th, the CCU released their prediction, expecting 9 storms, 4 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes, with an overall average season outlook.
Mid-season outlooks[]
On June 1st, the TSR updated their forecast to 10 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and 1 major hurricane, based on worse conditions for hurricane development in the Atlantic than originally anticipated. NOAA also updated their forecast, at 10 named storms, 5 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes, accounting for the worsening of conditions for tropical development, and the formation of Tropical Storm Alex. On the 1st of July, UKMO released their only forecast for the season, of seven named storms, three hurricanes, and no major hurricanes. The generally low forecasts were influenced by the present Super El NiƱo pattern. On the 7th of August, the NOAA updated their forecast, decreasing the named storms to 9, the hurricanes to 4, and the majors to one. On August 8th, the last updates were issued by CSU, calling for 8 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 2 majors, and TSR, calling for 8 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and 1 major. In the end, the season was relatively well forecast, with the latest TSR prediction correctly predicting the named storm, hurricane, and major hurricane count.
Seasonal summary[]
The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2022. An inactive season, it produced nine tropical depressions. Eight of the tropical and subtropical cyclones intensified into storms, and four of the storms into hurricanes. One of the hurricanes further intensified to major hurricane status. The lack of activity was primarily attributed an extremely strong El NiƱo state, which resulted in enhanced wind shear over the Atlantic basin. Very few notable events happened in the season, starting with Subtropical Storm Alex becoming the strongest May tropical cyclone to make landfall in Florida since Beryl in 2012, and Tropical Depression Danielle, which was operationally considered a tropical storm, becoming the first named tropical depression in the Atlantic's recorded history. The tropical cyclones of this season caused 66 deaths and at least $1.84 billion (2022 USD) in damage. The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended on November 30, 2022.
Tropical cyclongenesis began just before the official season commenced, with Subtropical Storm Alex developing on May 29th, just a few days before the official start of the season. Activity was then suppressed for a month, until Bonnie formed on July 11th in the Gulf of Mexico. After Bonnie's dissipation, activity halted once again, with Colin developing on August 5th in the Main Development Region. The remainder of August featured two tropical cyclones developing - Tropical Depression Danielle on August 17th, and Hurricane Earl on August 27th. Earl continued to be active well into September, reaching its peak intensity in the month as the only major hurricane of the season. The rest of September, the climatological peak of the season, wasn't much more active, with two hurricanes forming in the month - Fiona on September 15th, and Gaston on September 28th, with both reaching hurricane intensity. On October 31st, Hurricane Hermine formed, the last hurricane of the season, lasting for a few days into November. Finally, the last storm of the season, Nine, formed on November 27th as an operationally unrecognized subtropical storm, and lasted into December, while becoming the only subtropical cyclone on record to directly hit the Canary islands.
The season's activity was reflected with an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) rating of 44.105, which was well below the 1981ā2010 median of 92. Broadly speaking, ACE is a measure of the power of a tropical storm multiplied by the length of time it existed. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration or stronger intensity, such as Earl and Fiona, will have high values of ACE. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on specific tropical and subtropical systems reaching or exceeding wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h). After the storm has dissipated, typically after the end of the season, the NHC reexamines the data, and produces a final report on each storm. These revisions can lead to a revised ACE total either upward or downward compared to the operational value.
Systems[]
Tropical Storm Alex[]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | May 29 ā June 5 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min) 987 mbar (hPa) |
A mesoscale convective system formed over the United States Midwest in late May. It moved east-southeast, becoming a weak low pressure system with a tenuous cyclonic rotation. Early on May 28th, the system emerged into the Atlantic ocean just off the coast of Georgia, and began a slow southerly turn as it acquired subtropical characteristics. At 18:00 UTC May 29th, the system was found to have developed into a subtropical depression, with a broad circulation and deep convection surrounding the core of the storm. At 12:00 UTC May 30th, after a period of intensification, the depression was upgraded to a subtropical storm and received the name Alex, with 40 mile per hour sustained wind speeds. Alex underwent a tropical transition while continuing its intensification, and at 06:00 UTC May 31st, was found to be a fully tropical cyclone, no longer possessing a shallow core, but rather a definitive deep warm core, indicative of a tropical cyclone. The storm reached peak intensity at 12:00 UTC of the same day, with 70 mile per hour winds, almost attaining hurricane status. However, as the conditions were unfavorable for sustaining intensity, Alex started weakening as it now headed towards landfall in Florida. At 00:00 UTC June 1st, Alex made landfall as a 60 mile per hour tropical storm in Brevard County, Florida, and by 06:00 UTC, had weakened to a tropical depression. At 12:00 UTC, the depression passed over the Tampa Metropolitan Area, and shortly afterwards, emerged into the Gulf of Mexico.
While the Gulf of Mexico presented favorable conditions for Alex to intensify, the storm failed to do so, and instead turned northeast, towards the Florida Big Bend region, and made landfall in the Taylor County of Florida, still as a tropical depression, at 15:00 UTC June 2nd. As the system moved inland, it weakened, and degenerated into a remnant low over eastern Georgia at 06:00 UTC June 3rd. Its remnants continued moving northeast, eventually emerging back into the Atlantic ocean at 18:00 UTC of the same day. However, as the system emerged into marginally favorable conditions, it started attaining tropical cyclone status again, and was re-designated as a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC June 4th, this time accelerating northeast. At 18:00 UTC, Alex re-attained tropical storm status, and also started its extratropical transition. However, Alex's regeneration was short lived, and was declared extratropical at 06:00 UTC June 5th, when a frontal boundary attached itself to the system. The post-tropical cyclone continued accelerating northeast, until it was absorbed south of Newfoundland, around 12:00 UTC.
Alex was a mildly damaging storm to the Florida peninsula, the Florida panhandle, and the Southeastern United States in general. As Alex made a 60 mile per hour landfall in Brevard County, it caused a 2 to 3 foot (0.6 - 0.9 meter) storm surge, and total damages from its first landfall amounted to $50 million (2022 USD), with 1 reported death from rip tides, in Volusia County. While rainfall during its first landfall remained low, as Alex took on the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the rainfall intensified, and by the time it made its second landfall, the depression was already dropping 5 to 10 inches of rain in isolated areas. The total amount of damage from Alex's second landfall and its passage through the Southeastern United States as a remnant low reached $250 million (2022 USD), with most of it from the resulting rainfall, and the death toll was reported at 5, all of which due to rainfall related causes. Finally, Alex resulted in minor damages along the United States Northeast and Atlantic Canada coasts as it passed offshore, inflicting minimal damages and no reported deaths. Overall, Alex's damage toll reached $300 million (2022 USD), with a majority of it resulting from rainfall and flooding, and its death toll reached 6, with a large part of it from rainfall related causes. Alex was the most impactful storm to hit Florida in the month of May, and the most powerful since Beryl in the 2012 season, which made landfall with 65 mile per hour winds.
Tropical Storm Bonnie[]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | July 11 ā July 17 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 996 mbar (hPa) |
In early July, a tropical wave moved off of the coast of Africa, and traversed the Main Development Region of the Atlantic, remaining disorganized along the way, until it entered the Caribbean. At 00:00 UTC July 11th, the disturbance was determined to have developed into a tropical depression east of the YucatƔn Peninsula, with a loosely bound circulation and shallow convection. The depression slowly moved west, towards the peninsula, and struggled to intensify in dry conditions. At 00:00 UTC July 12th, the depression barely made landfall on the YucatƔn Peninsula, and made a sharp turn towards the north, into more favorable conditions. At 00:00 UTC July 14th, the depression was upgraded to tropical storm status when 35 knot sustained wind speeds were confirmed in the system, and received the name Bonnie. Bonnie accelerated northeast, into less favorable conditions, and 12:00 UTC July 15th, as it degenerated into a trough, it made landfall in Taylor County of Florida. The disturbance moved over the United States Southeast and the East Coast over the next two days and reemerged into the Atlantic ocean on July 16th. However, at 00:00 UTC July 17th, the system barely reattained subtropical cyclone characteristics, and was re-designated a subtropical depression. Its regeneration did not last long, however, and it was absorbed by a large extratropical cyclone over the Northern Atlantic shortly after 06:00 UTC.
Bonnie was a deadly storm in the YucatƔn Peninsula, where its stalling motion resulted in severe rainfall. In Mexico, $25 million (2022 USD) worth of damage was recorded, with 27 reported deaths, all caused by rainfall related phenomena. In the Gulf of Mexico, several oil rigs were temporarily shut off for the storm's passage, resulting in $50 million (2022 USD) in lost revenues. In the mainland United States, $15 million (2022 USD) in damage was reported, and 2 deaths were recorded, with most of the impacts coming from minor rainfall across a large swath of the Eastern Seaboard, peaking at 10 inches in isolated locations across Georgia and South Carolina. Minor to no impacts were reported in Atlantic Canada, when the subtropical depression remnants of Bonnie passed south of Nova Scotia before being absorbed by a large extratropical cyclone. Overall, Bonnie's damages amounted to $90 million (2022 USD), and its death toll reached 29.
Tropical Storm Colin[]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | August 5 ā August 7 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min) 998 mbar (hPa) |
A weak tropical wave moved across the tropical Atlantic in early August, struggling to organize in a strong Saharan Air Layer. However, as the system approached the Caribbean, the dry air lessened, and the disturbance began to undergo tropical cyclogenesis, with deep convection organizing around the elongated, open center of the wave. At 00:00 UTC August 5th, the disturbance was determined to have become a tropical depression, as its core became closed and circular. The depression strengthened as it continued moving west, and at 06:00 UTC August 6th, after crossing into the Caribbean sea, intensified into a tropical storm with 35 knot winds, and received the name Colin. Due to its small size, Colin was able to rapidly intensify, and reached peak intensity at 18:00 UTC of the same day as a strong tropical storm, before starting a weakening trend due to increasing wind shear. Colin weakened to a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC August 7th as shear resulted in its circulation getting entirely exposed, and finally, at 21:00 UTC, Colin was deemed to no longer be a tropical cyclone, as it degenerated into an open trough. Colin brought minimal impacts to land, and no deaths were reported as having been caused by the storm, due to its small size and lack of expansive rain bands.
Tropical Depression Danielle[]
| Tropical depression (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | August 17 ā August 19 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1003 mbar (hPa) |
In mid August, a disturbance developed southeast of Cabo Verde. It slowly moved west and organized, gaining Invest status south of the archipelago on August 16th. At 12:00 UTC August 17th, the disturbance was deemed to have developed into a tropical depression, the fourth of the season. Operationally, the depression continued to intensify, and was given tropical storm status at 00:00 UTC August 18th, gaining the name Danielle. However, in the post-storm analysis, no evidence was found for Danielle ever reaching tropical storm status, leading to the first named tropical depression in the Atlantic basin on record. Regardless, Danielle continued moving west, and reached peak intensity at 12:00 UTC August 18th operationally, as a 45 mile per hour tropical storm. After reaching peak intensity, increasing shear and dry air intrusion caused the depression to weaken and slowly lose its tropical characteristics, resulting in the system degenerating to a remnant low at 18:00 UTC August 19th, both operationally and during reanalysis. Danielle had no impacts on land due to it staying away from land areas across its entire track, and thus resulted in no damages or deaths.
Hurricane Earl[]
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | August 27 ā September 7 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 130 mph (215 km/h) (1-min) 945 mbar (hPa) |
A disorganized tropical wave moved west through the Atlantic Main Development Region in late August, struggling to intensify in face of dry air from the Saharan Air Layer. However, once again, dry air lessened near the Caribbean, and the disturbance developed, barely receiving tropical depression designation at 06:00 UTC August 27th, as a well defined circulation was discovered among deep convection. The depression continued to organize and intensify, and at 00:00 UTC August 28th, as the system approached the Lesser Antilles, it attained tropical storm status after an ASCAT pass suggested sustained winds of 35 knots, and it was given the name Earl. Earl commenced further strengthening as it entered the Caribbean sea later on the same day, and was eventually upgraded to a category 1 hurricane at 12:00 UTC August 29th, when a Hurricane Hunters aircraft recorded several instances of 75 knot flight level winds. However, the recently upgraded hurricane weakened to tropical storm status by 00:00 UTC August 30th, as it entered an area of unfavorable wind shear. At around 15:00 UTC, the storm passed in between the islands of Hispaniola and Jamaica, and continued on its northwesterly track, heading towards the Gulf of Mexico. Earl eventually entered the Gulf of Mexico late on September 1st. In the Gulf of Mexico, conditions were much more favorable than in the Caribbean, and rapid intensification was likely to begin. At 18:00 UTC September 2nd, after passing north of Scorpion Reef, the storm re-attained hurricane strength, as extremely cold convection started forming in the system's northeast quadrant and an eye feature became apparent on infrared imagery. At 06:00 UTC September 3rd, as the hurricane's eye cleared, Earl strengthened to category 2 intensity, which resulted in hurricane preparations being advised for the western Gulf Coast of the United States.
At 12:00 UTC, Earl was upgraded to category 3 major hurricane strength, and prompted the issuance of a hurricane watch for the United States Gulf Coast, from Rockport in Texas to New Orleans in Louisiana. Evacuation plans were put into effect as a hurricane landfall was predicted, and oil rigs in the storm's path as well as oil refineries on the shore were temporarily shut down. Finally, Earl reached category 4 strength at 06:00 UTC September 4th, now with a clear and circular eye, and extremely cold cloud tops wrapping half of the way around the storm, mostly in its most intense northeastern quadrant. After reaching peak intensity at around the same time, the hurricane began to weaken, due to the combined effects of upwelling, shallower waters near the coast, and an eyewall replacement cycle, and lost category 4 status at 18:00 UTC of the same day. Weakening continued, until eventually, at 00:00 UTC September 6th, Earl weakened to tropical storm status, and at 06:00 UTC, made landfall along the border between Cameron Parish in Louisiana, and Jefferson County in Texas, with 60 mile per hour sustained wind speeds. After landfall, the storm rapidly weakened, and lost tropical storm strength at 18:00 UTC, finally degenerating to a remnant low at 12:00 UTC September 7th, as it was moving across the state of Missouri.
Earl was a heavily damaging storm, with a total damage toll of $750 million (2022 USD), and a death toll of 17. In the Caribbean, tropical storm force winds and slight rainfall resulted in minimal impacts, and no deaths were reported across the region. In Mexico, rainfall resulted in 5 recorded deaths, and the damages were estimated at $50 million (2022 USD), with most of the damages originating in the states of Quintana Roo and YucatƔn, which were closest to the storm's path. Several oil rigs, despite being in the path of the storm, suffered only minimal damage due to the storm weakening before hitting them, and were generally put into operation immediately after the weather calmed down. However, most of Earl's impacts by far came from the United States Gulf Coast, where its damages reached $700 million (2022 USD), and its death toll was reported at 12. In Texas, a storm surge of 4 feet (1.2 meters) was reported, and the rainfall maximum was determined to be 5.47 inches just north of Houston. The strongest reported winds were 50 miles per hour sustained, with some gusts reaching well into strong tropical storm territory. In Louisiana, the surge was notably higher, peaking at 5 feet (1.5 meters) in Morgan City, inundating large areas of swampland. Rainfall peaked at 15.3 inches near Leesville, in Vernon Parish. Overall, Louisiana was considered to have been impacted far more than Texas, and most of the damage total along the Gulf Coast originated in Louisiana. Impacts on states further inland were negligible, with minimal damages and no reported deaths, due to weak winds and low rainfall.
Hurricane Fiona[]
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | September 15 ā September 22 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min) 977 mbar (hPa) |
A frontal cyclone started moving across the Northern Atlantic in mid September, after originating over the United States Midwest. However, in relatively warm sea surface temperatures, it began taking on subtropical characteristics, including a warming core, a detaching front, and increasing symmetry. As the cyclone's motion slowed down due to the influence of a high pressure system and an interaction with another cyclone, its subtropical transition hastened, and eventually, at 00:00 UTC September 15th, the cyclone was determined to have become a subtropical storm, getting the name Fiona. Its northeasterly motion continued to slow down, until eventually, the storm began moving south-southeast under the influence of a high pressure area, starting a tropical transition along the way due to the warmer sea surface temperatures. At 18:00 UTC September 16th, Fiona was declared to have become a fully tropical cyclone, and was set to continue strengthening. At 06:00 UTC September 20th, after completing an easterly turn, Fiona was deemed to have strengthened into a category 1 hurricane, with a central dense overcast resembling one of a hurricane in the deep tropics. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and at 06:00 UTC September 21st, was upgraded to a category 2 hurricane, reaching peak intensity at 12:00 UTC of the same day, with a clear of cloud cover eye, and structure resembling a major hurricane. However, cooling sea surface temperatures south and east of the Azores resulted in Fiona's weakening, down to category 1 at 00:00 UTC September 22nd. Eventually, as the system lost tropical characteristics and began an extratropical transition, it was deemed to have become non-tropical in nature at 18:00 UTC of the same day, after which point it weakened to storm strength, and continued east, making landfall in Spain as a windstorm the next day. Fiona was not reported to have caused any noticeable damages due to its small size, and no deaths resulted from the storm.
Hurricane Gaston[]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | September 28 ā October 1 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min) 985 mbar (hPa) |
A tropical disturbance formed near Cabo Verde in late September, and started its westerly trek across the Atlantic ocean, initially struggling to develop due to wind shear. However, as the system left the Main Development Region, conditions improved, and the disturbance finally started to organize. At 12:00 UTC September 28th, the system developed into a tropical depression, with deep convection and a well defined central circulation. The depression intensified, and at 00:00 UTC September 29th, was upgraded to tropical storm intensity based on satellite observations, getting the name Gaston. In highly favorable conditions, Gaston's intensification did not halt, as the Carolinas prepared for landfall, and at 12:00 UTC September 30th, just as it made landfall in Onslow County of North Carolina, the storm attained hurricane status, with confirmed sustained hurricane force winds being recorded on the ground. However, as landfall disturbed the storm's structure, weakening ensued, and Gaston weakened below hurricane status by 18:00 UTC. As Gaston moved northeast across the Eastern Seaboard, it weakened still, as an extratropical transition began, and finally, at 18:00 UTC October 1st, the system lost all of its tropical characteristics, and officially degenerated into an extratropical cyclone over the border between the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, with an associated front, a cold core, and a large wind field. Gaston's remnants continued on northeast, eventually hitting Atlantic Canada.
Gaston was a mildly damaging storm that most heavily impacted the United States East Coast, specifically the Mid Atlantic and the Northeast. In North Carolina, 3 to 4 foot high storm surge in the Outer Banks, hurricane force winds, and 5 to 10 inches of rainfall resulted in $300 million (2022 USD) in damages, with 7 reported deaths, all from drowning related causes, and mostly in the Outer Banks. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, 5 inches of rainfall contributed another $100 million (2022 USD) to the damage toll, and 2 reported deaths to the death toll. In the rest of the Eastern Seaboard, gale force winds and up to 5 inches of rainfall over a large area resulted in localized flooding, which contributed another $250 million (2022 USD) to Gaston's damage toll, and resulted in 5 reported deaths. In Canada, minor impacts were felt from the storm's extratropical remnants, and were not significant enough to be reported in detail. Along its path, Gaston caused $650 million (2022 USD) in damages, all in the United States, and claimed 14 lives. Emergency declarations were signed into effect in 15 of North Carolina's 100 counties, all located along the coast or bordering a coastal county, due to the damage the storm inflicted in the area.
Hurricane Hermine[]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | October 31 ā November 2 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min) 981 mbar (hPa) |
An extratropical cyclone formed offshore of the United States Northeast on October 25th. During the next few days, it moved east, and was eventually given a HIGH chance of tropical cyclone formation by the National Hurricane Center. On October 30th, it was given Potential Tropical Cyclone designation as it presented a moderate threat to the Azores, and tropical storm watches were issued. At 12:00 UTC October 31st, after passing over the western Azores as a hurricane strength cyclone, the system was determined to have developed into a fully tropical hurricane with an eye feature and deep convection, and was given the name Hermine. The newly named hurricane reached peak intensity at the same time, and had already started to weaken, as it started a slow northeasterly turn into less favorable conditions. Hermine maintained hurricane status for a day, before weakening to a tropical storm at 18:00 UTC November 1st, as it accelerated northeast. Finally, at 06:00 UTC November 2nd, the storm was determined to no longer be a tropical cyclone, as it was associated to a frontal system, and no longer had a warm, symmetric core. The extratropical cyclone continued northeast, eventually hitting Ireland and the United Kingdom the next day, and later in November, the Scandinavian peninsula. Despite passing near the Azores as a hurricane, and bringing gale force winds to all of the islands in the archipelago, Hermine caused minimal reported damages, and no recorded deaths.
Subtropical Storm Nine[]
| Subtropical storm (SSHWS) | |
  | |
| Duration | November 27 ā December 1 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 971 mbar (hPa) |
The precursor to the final system of the season developed in the Northern Atlantic on November 24th, and was immediately designated for potential tropical development. The cyclone intensified as it moved east, and later turned south, developing subtropical characteristics. At 06:00 UTC November 27th, the system was determined to have developed into a subtropical storm in the post-season analysis, however operationally it was considered to still be non-tropical. The storm continued moving south until November 29th, when it started a clockwise loop under the influence of weak steering currents. After completing the loop, the storm started moving east, weakening in cooling sea surface temperatures. At 12:00 UTC November 30th, the storm weakened to a subtropical depression, and at 18:00 UTC of the same day, was operationally recognized as a subtropical cyclone, which resulted in it lacking a name. The subtropical depression continued moving east, and 12:00 UTC December 1st, made a direct strike on the Tenerife island of the Canary islands, the first storm in recorded history to do so. Shortly afterwards, however, it degenerated into a remnant low, and was no longer tropical by 18:00 UTC. Its remnants continued moving east, now devoid of convection, and struck Morocco on the next day. Nine was a moderately damaging storm, because of the fact that it did not have gale force winds by the time it struck any land areas, and due to its subtropical nature, its precipitation rate was quite low. Overall impacts in the Canary islands are $50 million (2022 USD) in damages, and no reported deaths. However, while Nine was not significantly impactful, it was the first storm on record to directly impact the Canary islands as a subtropical or tropical cyclone.
Storm names[]
This is the list that was used for the 2022 season. This is the same list used in the 2016 season, with the exceptions of Martin and Owen, which replaced Matthew and Otto from the 2016 season after they were retired. No names were used for a first time this year. There were no names retired this year; thus, the same list will be used again in the 2028 season.
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Season effects[]
| SaffirāSimpson hurricane wind scale | ||||||
| TD | TS | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 |
This is a table of the storms and their effects in the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. This table includes the storm's names, duration, peak intensity, Areas affected, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but are still storm-related. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave or a low. All of the damage figures are in 2022 USD.
| Storm name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Max 1-min wind mph (km/h) |
Min. press. (mbar) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | May 29 - June 5 | Tropical storm | 70 (110) | 987 | East Coast, Florida, Atlantic Canada | $300 million | 6 | |||
| Bonnie | July 11 - July 17 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 996 | YucatƔn Peninsula, Florida, United States East Coast | $90 million | 29 | |||
| Colin | August 5 - August 7 | Tropical storm | 65 (100) | 998 | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean | Minimal | None | |||
| Danielle | August 17 - August 19 | Tropical depression | 35 (55) | 1003 | None | None | None | |||
| Earl | August 27 - September 7 | Category 4 hurricane | 130 (215) | 945 | Lesser Antilles, Caribbean, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Cuba, YucatƔn Peninsula, United States Gulf Coast | $750 million | 17 | |||
| Fiona | September 15 - September 22 | Category 2 hurricane | 110 (175) | 977 | Azores | None | None | |||
| Gaston | September 28 - October 1 | Category 1 hurricane | 75 (120) | 985 | United States East Coast | $650 million | 14 | |||
| Hermine | October 31 - November 2 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 (150) | 981 | Azores | Minimal | None | |||
| Nine | November 27 - December 1 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 971 | Canary Islands, Morocco | $50 million | None | |||
| Season aggregates | ||||||||||
| 9 systems | May 29 ā December 1 | 130 (215) | 945 | > $1.84 billion | 66 | |||||