Last Updated on September 25, 2024 by Elizabeth
Planning a summer or fall escape to the East Coast, Gulf Coast or Caribbean? Pre-season forecasts indicate a humdinger for hurricane season 2024.
When booking a hotel in the Atlantic region, read the fine print on cancellation policies. Don’t choose a nonrefundable hotel rate; you can generally cancel a hotel booking within 24 to 72 hours of your stay should the weather forecast look ominous. And consider buying travel insurance with hurricane coverage.
What to Know About Hurricane Season 2024
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1, and runs for a full six months, through November 30. The peak period begins in early August and runs through the end of October. Early pre-season forecasts indicate 2024 will be a very active Atlantic hurricane season.
AccuWeather is predicting 20 to 25 named storms across the Atlantic in 2024, including eight to 12 hurricanes, including four to seven major hurricanes.
Colorado State University expects 23 named storms. Of those, 11 will become hurricanes, and at least five could become major hurricanes.
WeatherTiger is predicting 20 to 24 tropical storms, with nine to 12 hurricanes, including four to seven major hurricanes.
Meanwhile, the climate scientists at the University of Pennsylvania are predicting a doozy of a North Atantic hurricane season, with an unprecedented 33 named tropical cyclones.
To put these projections in perspective, consider that an average hurricane season brings a total of 12 named tropical storms and six hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
A tropical storm has a maximum sustained wind speed of 39 mph. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its wind speed reaches 74 mph. Major hurricanes – Category 3, 4 or 5 – have sustained wind speeds of 111 mph or greater.
The “Safest” Caribbean Destinations During Hurricane Season
Not all Caribbean destinations are prone to getting pummeled in big storms. Some islands—especially those in the southern Caribbean—have historically stayed out of harm’s way. So go ahead and plan your tropical getaway, but choose wisely. Here are two destinations likely to keep you out of the eye of any big storm.
Aruba – The first of the “ABC Islands” (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) is a safe bet. The last time Aruba was affected by a storm was in 2007, when Hurricane Felix caused minor damage when it skirted about 60 miles away from the island.
Barbados – Far fewer storms have hit Barbados than the average Caribbean island. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a tropical storm, which left some hotels throughout Barbados without electricity. In 2021, Hurricane Elsa passed just south of the island.
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