In this series, we explore a year of lessons learned in climate, disasters and sustainability. In the first of the series, it’s hurricanes. The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season broke records and underscored the urgent need for improved forecasting, infrastructure, and community resilience. This year’s storms pushed the boundaries of disaster preparedness while offering critical lessons for the future.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be remembered for its extremes. Spanning from record-breaking storm frequencies to unprecedented damage, this year highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges in understanding and mitigating hurricane impacts. Scientists and policymakers alike have pointed to rapid intensification and evolving climate patterns as key factors driving this year’s devastating outcomes.
Dangerous Storms and Emerging Trends
2024 saw an increase in both the number and intensity of storms compared to the last decade, with Hurricane Milton standing out as a stark example of rapid intensification. Gus Alaka, Hurricane Research Division director at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab, explained how rapid intensification (RI)—when wind speeds increase by 35 mph or more within 24 hours—has become increasingly frequent as ocean temperatures rise. Milton’s explosive growth in low-shear, warm ocean environments exemplified this trend, making it a critical case study for refining predictive models.
“Milton will be added to a growing portfolio of recent, strong tropical cyclones that can be used as a measuring stick for hurricane model improvements,” said Alaka. NOAA’s data shows that reconnaissance efforts improve forecast accuracy by 10-20%, but challenges remain in predicting the timing and magnitude of RI events.
According to NOAA’s season summary, 2024 ended with 20 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and six major hurricanes, causing widespread destruction in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. The $120 billion in damages surpassed last year’s economic toll, underscoring the need for stronger adaptation measures.
Preparedness and Response Lessons Learned
While improved forecasting helped reduce the death toll, this season exposed significant gaps in preparedness. Community-based resilience efforts stood out as critical lifelines during Hurricane Milton’s rapid landfall in Florida. Still, underserved regions lacked the resources to implement evacuation plans effectively.
Local governments saw mixed results. Florida’s pre-storm infrastructure investments, such as updated stormwater systems, mitigated inland flooding. Meanwhile, Louisiana faced severe setbacks due to outdated levee systems, which failed during Hurricane Nora’s deluge, causing massive displacement. Moreover, federal emergency funding arrived too late for many communities to rebuild efficiently, amplifying calls for faster disaster response mechanisms and equitable recovery funding.
Policy and Community Impacts
This year also highlighted the growing role of community-led initiatives in resilience. Grassroots organizations in the Gulf Coast played a pivotal role in organizing volunteer efforts, distributing resources, and advocating for long-term climate adaptation policies. Their success offers a model for national implementation.
On the policy side, states like Texas have begun piloting climate-resilient infrastructure programs that integrate hurricane risk into urban planning. At the federal level, the Biden administration committed $8 billion to upgrading FEMA’s disaster readiness programs, though critics argue the funding barely scratches the surface of what’s required.
Recommendations For The Future
The 2024 hurricane season has underscored the urgency of addressing climate change’s role in driving extreme weather. Recommendations include:
Investing in Forecasting Technology: Continued funding for NOAA and NASA’s hurricane research programs will ensure greater accuracy in predicting storm paths and intensity.
Building Resilient Infrastructure: Policies to incentivize climate-adapted construction can reduce long-term costs and improve community safety.
Community-Led Adaptation: Scaling up successful local models of resilience offers a cost-effective way to address preparedness gaps.
Climate Adaptation Policies: Federal and international climate goals must prioritize mitigation strategies that address warming oceans and atmospheric instability.
In the words of Gus Alaka, “The data collected during storms like Milton provides critical opportunities to evaluate and improve forecasting tools, but it also underscores how much work remains in preparing communities for the next hurricane season.”
