As Hurricane Milton continues to move away from Florida and Georgia, many residents in the impacted areas are keeping a wary eye out for what’s next.
October may seem like it’s late in the year for tropical storm activity, but there are still six weeks to go in hurricane season, and forecasters are keeping a close watch of any disturbances that may develop.
Here’s what to know as cleanup begins from the devastation of Hurricane Milton.
Is there a Tropical Storm Nadine forming?
Social media videos have popped up indicating that a storm named Nadine is forming off of Mexico, but there is no currently organized system in that area, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Eric Burris, a meteorologist for NBC affiliate WESH in Orlando, posted a video of his own on the topic, saying there is “no system that is currently organized and heading to Central Florida.”
“Trust people that are deserving of your trust, and not some random person on social media,” he said.
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Are there any other systems in the Atlantic?
Currently, there are two areas the National Hurricane Center is monitoring, including Hurricane Leslie, which is producing sustained winds of 90 miles per hour in an area approximately 1,700 miles from the Azores.
Forecasters expect that hurricane to begin turning northward and then eastward, ultimately weakening below hurricane limits in coming days.
A second area of low pressure is also being monitored off the west coast of Africa, but forecasters are skeptical it will develop into a named tropical system, giving it a less-than-20% chance of doing so in the next week.
How long does hurricane season last?
According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, meaning there is still a month and a half when hurricanes could be expected to form.
There are outside chances of hurricanes forming outside of that window, according to officials, but it is uncommon.
How busy has this year’s hurricane season been?
According to the Weather Channel, five hurricanes have made landfall in the United States this year. Three of those, Debby, Helene and Milton, have made landfall in Florida. Hurricane Beryl impacted Texas in July, and Francine roared onshore in Louisiana in September.
It has been a busy year for hurricanes, as on average only 1-to-2 named storms make landfall in the continental United States, according to the NOAA.
The most hurricanes that have made landfall in the U.S. in a single year was six, which last occurred in 2020.
Did forecasters expect this?
According to the NOAA, it was expected to be an above-normal year for named storms in the Atlantic Ocean in 2024. The agency predicted a range of 17-to-25 named storms, defined as storms with sustained winds of 39 miles per hour or greater. Of those, 8-to-13 were expected to become hurricanes, with 4-to-7 hurricanes gaining strength and becoming Category 3 storms or greater.
So far this season there have been 13 named storms, with nine becoming hurricanes. Beryl (Category 5), Helene (Category 4), Kirk (Category 4) and Milton (Category 5) all became major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center.
