Summer 2024 Forecast For FL: 'Supercharged' Hurricane Season

FLORIDA — Summer 2024 is likely to be hot and steamy in Florida, with a "supercharged Atlantic hurricane season" looming, according to a seasonal forecast Wednesday from AccuWeather. The agency calls for sizzling weather ahead for most of the country.

The first hurricane of 2024 could form before the season officially begins on June 1. "All indications are pointing toward a very active Atlantic hurricane season in 2024," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva said.

The mercury is predicted to hit 90 degrees more frequently than historical averages across many East Coast cities, according to AccuWeather. In Tampa, the high temperature reached 90 degrees on April 20, a few weeks ahead of summer norms.

The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be especially active and exceed 30-year historical averages, and the first storm could spin up before the official start of the season on June 1, AccuWeather said.

AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting between 20 and 25 named storms across the Atlantic basin in 2024, including eight to 12 hurricanes, four to seven major hurricanes, and four to six direct U.S. impacts.

“There is an increased flood threat for the Gulf States as a busy tropical season is anticipated with one or two threats in the summer season,” Pastelok said.

While there were 19 named storms during the above-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, only one hurricane directly hit the U.S. last year. Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a category-3 hurricane on Aug. 30 near Keaton Beach, Florida, causing storm surge inundation of 7 to 12 feet and widespread rainfall flooding in Florida and throughout the Southeast.

This season, Texas, the Carolinas and Florida — particularly the Panhandle and South Florida — face a heightened risk of a direct hit, forecasters added.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also predicted a strong Atlantic hurricane season for 2024.

Related:

• 'Extremely Active' 2024 Hurricane Season Predicted: What To Know In FL
• 'Explosive' 2024 Hurricane Season Could Break Records

Temperatures are forecast to be about 2 degrees above historical averages for more than half of the country from June to August. That comes on the heels of the warmest year on record in 2023.

Areas from the Plains to the Northeast could see scorching heat waves. The hottest areas, when compared with historical averages, could be over the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and Southwestern Plains, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

At the same time, rain over the Pacific Northwest is expected to reduce the chance of a long heat wave in places such as Seattle and Portland.

Overall, showers and thunderstorms may bring some periodic relief from the heat in June and July, but drier weather in August could bring scorching temperatures, he said.

Heat could fuel strong storms, AccuWeather said. In Florida, severe weather is expected to peak between June and August.

“Severe weather events can be frequent in June and part of July,” Pastelok said, adding the risk includes derechos, or “inland hurricanes” with sustained winds of 58 or more mph, with gusts of up to 100 mph, over an area more than 400 miles wide.