The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1st, 2020 and will end November 30th, 2020.
Seasonal forecasts[]
Source | Date | Named
storms |
Hurricanes | Major
hurricanes | |
NOAA | May 1, 2020 | 15 | 9 | 3 | |
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Actual activity | 12 | 6 | 3 |
Season Summary[]
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was a slightly above average hurricane season that produced 15 depressions, 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 majors.
The first storm, Hurricane Arthur, formed on June 4th, while the last storm, Tropical Storm Laura, dissipated on November 16th; these dates remaining within the actual bounds of the Hurricane season.
The strongest storm of the season was Hurricane Fay, which became an intense Category 5 hurricane in early September, peaking at a powerful 180 mph (285 km/h) hurricane.
In addition, Fay was one of 4 storms to hit the US state of Florida, these events were almost reminiscent of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, with Fay also being the strongest storm to hit the US during the season (As a Category 3).
Mexico saw the Landfalls of Tropical Depression Three and Hurricane Hanna, while the US state of North Carolina saw the landfall of Tropical Storm Laura.
In all, the season caused a total of $34.53 billion (USD) in damage and 734 fatalities.
Storms[]
|
Hurricane Arthur[]
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 4 – June 10 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min) 987 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Bertha[]
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 30 – July 4 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 995 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression Three[]
Tropical depression (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 14 – July 16 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1002 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Cristobal[]
Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 1 – August 13 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 125 mph (205 km/h) (1-min) 945 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Dolly[]
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 7 – August 11 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 996 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Edouard[]
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 15 – August 20 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) 981 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Fay[]
Category 5 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 31 – September 16 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 180 mph (285 km/h) (1-min) 900 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression Eight[]
Tropical depression (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 2 – September 4 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1003 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Gonzalo[]
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 10 – September 14 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 995 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Hanna[]
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 17 – September 24 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min) 963 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Depression Eleven[]
Tropical depression (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 21 – September 23 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min) 1004 mbar (hPa) |
Subtropical Storm Isaias[]
Subtropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 30 – October 3 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 994 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Josephine[]
Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | October 19 – October 31 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min) 934 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Kyle[]
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | October 30 – November 2 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min) 1000 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Laura[]
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | November 10 – November 16 |
---|---|
Peak intensity | 70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min) 982 mbar (hPa) |
Timeline[]
Storm names[]
The following names will be used to name tropical and subtropical cyclones in the 2020 season.
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Retirement[]
During the WMO meeting on April 1st, 2021, the names Fay and Josephine were officially retired Due to extensive damage and deaths. They were replaced by Frieda and Justine for the 2026 season.
-The List for 2026-
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Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating[]
ACE (104 kt2) – Storm: Source | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 35.5 | Fay | 12 | 1.65 | Kyle |
2 | 21.9 | Josephine | 13 | 0.00 | Storm |
3 | 17.5 | Cristobal | 14 | 0.00 | Storm |
4 | 10.5 | Hanna | 15 | 0.00 | Storm |
5 | 7.12 | Edouard | 16 | 0.00 | Storm |
6 | 6.24 | Arthur | 17 | 0.00 | Storm |
7 | 5.83 | Laura | 18 | 0.00 | Storm |
8 | 4.48 | Bertha | 19 | 0.00 | Storm |
9 | 4.00 | Gonzalo | 20 | 0.00 | Storm |
10 | 3.21 | Isaias | 21 | 0.00 | Storm |
11 | 3.00 | Dolly | 22 | 0.00 | Storm |
Total=120.93 |
ACE is the result of a storm's winds multiplied by how long it lasted for, so storms or subtropical storms (Originally not included up until 2012) that at lasted a long time , as well as particularly strong hurricanes , have higher ACE totals. Tropical Depressions are not included in season total.
Season effects[]
This is a table of the storms and their effects in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. This table includes the storm's names, duration, peak intensity, Areas affected (bold indicates made landfall in that region at least once), 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 2015 USD (the listed damage figure is in millions).
Storm name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Max 1-min wind mph (km/h) |
Min. press. (mbar) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arthur | June 4 – June 10 | Category 1 hurricane | 75 (120) | 987 | None | 0 | 0 |
Bertha | June 30 – July 4 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 995 | US Gulf Coast (Florida) | 15 | 5 |
Three | July 14 – July 16 | Tropical depression | 35 (55) | 1002 | None | 0 | 0 |
Cristobal | August 1 – August 13 | Category 3 hurricane | 125 (205) | 945 | None | 0 | 0 |
Dolly | August 7 – August 11 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 996 | None | 0 | 0 |
Edouard | August 15 – August 20 | Category 1 hurricane | 80 (130) | 981 | Bermuda | 15 | 5 |
Fay | August 31 – September 16 | Category 5 hurricane | 180 (285) | 900 | US Gulf Coast (Florida), Cuba, Jamaica | 21,000 | 507 |
Eight | September 2 – September 4 | Tropical depression | 35 (55) | 1003 | Mexico | 5 | 3 |
Gonzalo | September 10 – September 14 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 995 | Nova Scotia | 10 | 3 |
Hanna | September 17 – September 24 | Category 2 hurricane | 105 (165) | 963 | Mexico | 155 | 23 |
Eleven | September 21 – September 23 | Tropical depression | 35 (55) | 1004 | None | 0 | 0 |
Isaias | September 30 – October 3 | Subtropical storm | 50 (85) | 994 | None | 0 | 0 |
Josephine | October 19 – October 31 | Category 4 hurricane | 145 (230) | 934 | US East Coast (Florida), The Bahamas | 13,300 | 178 |
Kyle | October 30 – November 2 | Tropical storm | 40 (65) | 1000 | US East Coast (Florida), The Bahamas | 10 | 4 |
Laura | November 10 – November 16 | Tropical storm | 70 (110) | 982 | US East Coast (North Carolina) | 20 | 6 |