A Look Back at the 2020 Hurricane Season

Written by Sarrah Pelorus

Last updated 12/1/2020, 10:44:00 AM


As hurricane season came to a close yesterday, we would like to take a moment to look back at the 2020 hurricane season. The NOAA did predict an abnormally active hurricane season this year, but not quite the record-breaking one we experienced.



Throughout 2020 we have had a total of 30 named storms, 13 hurricanes and six major hurricanes. Twelve of the named storms made landfall in the contiguous United States, breaking the record of nine that was set in 1916. This season in total caused more than $41 billion in damage and resulted in more than 436 deaths. 

This season dawned a record of 10 tropical cyclones that had undergone rapid intensification, tying it with the record set in 1995. 2020 was only the second season on record to use the Greek alphabet to name storms. The first being the hurricane season of 2005. 



Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially starts June 1st and ends November 30th, tropical storms can appear at any time as we saw with hurricane Arthur this season, which formed on May 16th, followed by Bertha on May 27th.



The 2020 season was also the sixth consecutive year in which the hurricane season began before the official start of June 1st. Hanna was actually the first storm of the season to reach hurricane intensity on July 25th with the storm making landfall in southern Texas. The 2020 season also included the most active September on record with 10 named storms through the month.



The 2020 season also featured one Category 5 hurricane, which is a storm with sustained winds over 156 mph. Hurricane Iota was only the second time in recorded history that a Category 5 hurricane occurred in November, and it is the latest-forming Category 5 hurricane on record.


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