Will a SC hurricane take your name in 2024? Check out this list of planned names
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has only just begun, but forecasters already know all the names for any potential storms.
The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration recently revealed the official list of potential hurricane names, along with its predictions for the 2024 Atlantic season. Hurricane season began June 1 and will last through Nov. 30.
Hurricane season 2024
NOAA has predicted an above-normal hurricane season for 2024, with between 17 and 25 total named storms. That’s the most number of storms federal forecasters have ever predicted before the start of a hurricane season.
An average year has about 14 tropical storms, seven of which become hurricanes. The record for most actual named storms in a season is 30, which was set in 2020.
The 2023 hurricane season ended as the fourth busiest for most-named storms. It had 20 named storms, seven of which became hurricanes, such as Hurricane Idalia, which flooded parts of South Carolina, including Charleston.
The 2024 hurricane season forecast calls for an 85% chance of an above-normal season, a 10% chance of a near-normal season and a 5% chance of a below-normal season.
NOAA is forecasting with 70% confidence of 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those, eight to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher. Those could also include four to seven major hurricanes (Cat 3-5) with winds of 111 mph or higher.
Storm names for 2024
If any of the 17 to 25 possible storms predicted for this season come to pass, their names have already been set. Below is the full list of possible storm names for the 2024 season.
- Alberto
- Beryl
- Chris
- Debby
- Ernesto
- Francine
- Gordon
- Helene
- Isaac
- Joyce
- Kirk
- Leslie
- Milton
- Nadine
- Oscar
- Patty
- Rafael
- Sara
- Tony
- Valarie
- William
How hurricane naming works
Hurricane names are used in rotation and recycled every six years. Many of the names in 2024 will be used again in 2030. However, sometimes named storms gain enough notoriety for the damage and death they cause that their names are permanently removed from the list.
Tropical storms get named when they display a rotating circulation pattern and wind speeds reach 39 mph. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when wind speeds exceed 74 mph. The World Meteorological Organization maintains and updates the names of Atlantic tropical storms. Hurricane names picked use only 21 letters of the alphabet because there are few names that start with Q, U, X, Z and Y. Also, English, Spanish and French names are all used to reflect geographical coverage of Atlantic and Caribbean storms. According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, South Carolina is one of the most vulnerable states to hurricanes and tropical storms all throughout the season.
This story was originally published June 14, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
