Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, rapidly strengthened to a Category 5 storm unusually early in the year. This explosive strengthening was fueled in part by exceptionally warm ocean temperatures. That heat was one of the factors behind NOAA’s prediction in May of an 85% chance that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season would be above normal.
On top of the heat, another factor pointing to an especially active season is the likely development of La Niña later this summer. La Niña reduces Atlantic trade winds and leads to less wind shear (the changing of wind speed and direction with height). While La Niña has yet to officially develop, the main development region (the area in the tropical Atlantic where most tropical cyclones form) has been near record warm. Sea surface temperatures in this area are closer to what would be expected in the middle of September–the peak of hurricane season. Meaning there was ample fuel for Beryl to not only form but also to rapidly intensify.
