The 2024 tropical cyclone season has certainly seen a destructive uptick in recent weeks. Seasonal totals are now above normal, most notably with the number of hurricanes and the rapidly increasing accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index. The North Atlantic basin including the Gulf of Mexico remains considerably warmer than normal supporting an active season as predicted by most forecasters earlier this summer.

Since June 1, 2024, much of Europe has observed above too much above normal rainfall most anomalous (according to NCDC/PSD) over Spain, Northern Italy, and Austria/Hungary. Meanwhile, farther downstream, an exceptionally dry 4 months was observed across Ukraine, Southwest Russia, and Northwest Russia.

On average, during the 29-year (1995-2023) period identified, October produces 2.6 tropical storms, 1.3 hurricanes, and 0.6 major hurricanes in the North Atlantic basin. The most observed was in 2005 when 7 tropical storms formed whereas 2002 and 2006 produced no tropical cyclones.