Hurricane Season 2020: Recapping a Record-Breaking Year

Extremely Active Atlantic Hurricane Season

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a more active Atlantic hurricane season than normal for 2020, and they were right. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season wasn’t just extremely active; it was the busiest of all time.

To recap, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season:

• Was the most active hurricane season in the U.S. and the seventh costliest of all time
• Had 30 named storms including:
  • 13 hurricanes
  • 6 major hurricanes
  • One Category 5 hurricane (Hurricane Iota)
  • 12 landfalling storms
• Had 10 named storms in September alone
• Used Greek names for only the second time in history
• Broke the record for most storms in one state in a season (Louisiana had five storms)
• Was the fifth above-average Atlantic hurricane season in a row, and the 18th out of the last 26 seasons

Pacific Hurricane Season Saw Opposite Trends

On the other side of the country, the West Coast experienced below-average hurricane activity. The least active since 2010, the 2020 Pacific hurricane season had 17 tropical storms and four hurricanes; three of those hurricanes were categorized as major hurricanes.

Although the Pacific hurricane season was relatively light this year, it still accounted for 46 deaths.

Biggest Storms of the Season

This year’s extremely active Atlantic hurricane season brought flooding, destruction, and fatalities. Let’s look at a few of the biggest storms of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season: Laura, Sally, and Beta.

Laura 

• Hurricane Laura was the 12th named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the season.
• Starting from a tropical wave off the coast of West Africa on August 16th, Laura became a tropical depression on the 20th and a tropical storm on the 21st.
• Laura made landfall in Louisiana during the early hours of August 26th as a Category 4 hurricane.

Sally

• Hurricane Sally started as a tropical depression off the coast of Florida on September 11th. 
• On the morning of September 16th, the storm made landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama at Category 2 intensity.
• A 5.6’ storm surge caused heavy rainfall and flooded downtown Pensacola with several feet of water.
• Hurricane Sally brought the Gulf Coast its highest observed water levels since Pensacola during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Beta 

• Tropical Storm Beta is not the same as Hurricane Beta (2005).
• Beta began to form on September 10th and ultimately made landfall in Texas on September 21st.
• The ninth named storm of the season to land in the United States, Tropical Storm Beta tied the 1916 season’s record for most storms to make landfall on American soil; three more storms were named afterwards, however, shattering the record with 12 on the season.

Contact Morgan & Morgan’s Hurricane Lawyers

From property damage to physical injuries, the effects of a storm can take a steep toll. Unfortunately, insurance companies are known to present low-ball offers or deny claims entirely, leaving families to struggle.

Fortunately, Morgan & Morgan’s hurricane insurance claim attorneys offer the support you need from a firm you can trust. We fight For The People, and will work tirelessly to recover your full and fair compensation.

If you or a loved one has been impacted by a hurricane, don’t wait to contact Morgan & Morgan. Fill out a free, no-obligation case evaluation to see if we can help.