As Hurricane Milton continues to move away from Florida and Georgia, many residents in affected areas are warily watching what happens next.
October may seem late in the year for tropical storm activity, but there are still six weeks before hurricane season and forecasters are closely monitoring any disturbances that may develop.
Here’s what you need to know as the cleanup begins after Hurricane Milton’s devastation.
Is there a Tropical Storm Nadine forming?
Videos on social media have emerged indicating that a storm named Nadine is forming off the coast of Mexico, but there are currently no organized systems in that area, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Eric Burris, a meteorologist for WESH, the NBC affiliate in Orlando, released his own video on the subject, saying there are “no systems currently organized and moving toward Central Florida.”
“Trust people who deserve your trust, not some random person on social media,” he said.
Are there other systems in the Atlantic?
Currently, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring two areas, including Hurricane Leslie, which is producing sustained winds of 90 miles per hour in an area about 1,700 miles from the Azores.
Forecasters expect the hurricane to begin turning north and then east, eventually weakening below hurricane limits in the coming days.
A second area of low pressure is also being monitored off the west coast of Africa, but forecasters are skeptical it will evolve into a named tropical system, giving it less than a 20% chance of doing so over next week.
The day after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre detailed federal efforts to assist in rescue, search and recovery operations.
How long does hurricane season last?
According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, which means there is still a month and a half during which hurricanes can be expected to form.
There are outside risks of hurricanes forming outside of that window, officials say, but that is rare.
How busy was hurricane season this year?
According to the Weather Channel, five hurricanes have made landfall in the United States this year. Three of them, Debby, Helene and Milton, made landfall in Florida. Hurricane Beryl hit Texas in July, and Francine made landfall in Louisiana in September.
It’s been a busy year for hurricanes, as on average only one to two named storms make landfall in the continental United States, according to NOAA.
The most hurricanes to make landfall in the United States in a single year was six, most recently in 2020.
Did the forecasters expect this?
According to NOAA, 2024 is expected to be an above-normal year for named storms in the Atlantic Ocean. The agency predicted a range of 17 to 25 named storms, defined as storms with sustained winds of 39 miles per hour. or more. Of these, 8 to 13 are expected to become hurricanes, while 4 to 7 hurricanes would gain strength and become Category 3 or higher storms.
So far this season, there have been 13 named storms, nine of which have become hurricanes. Beryl (Category 5), Helene (Category 4), Kirk (Category 4) and Milton (Category 5) all became major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center.
