2024 Year In Review
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The year 2024 unfolded as a dynamic and volatile period for global weather and climate, marked by record-breaking heat, anomalous storm activity, and notable regional anomalies. Persistent oceanic warming, shifting atmospheric patterns, and a neutral ENSO phase all contributed to an array of extreme events, ranging from catastrophic hurricanes in the Atlantic to prolonged droughts and heatwaves across multiple continents. On a continental scale, North America grappled with contrasting hazards, from severe winter storms in the Midwest to large and damaging wildfires in the Southwest. Locally, Ohio experienced their share of weather extremes, including a record total of reported tornadoes and a catastrophic drought. This report aims to discuss the significant weather and climate anomalies observed throughout 2024, exploring their underlying causes and regional consequences.
2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season
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The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was initially forecasted to be incredibly active on account of near-record high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and the development of La Nina conditions in the Atlantic. Despite a prominent beginning with Hurricane Beryl from late June to early July, a large period of general inactivity occurred from July to September. Near the final week of September, however, a surge in Atlantic disturbances resulted in the development of three major hurricanes through October, two of which made landfall in the United States. This study will compare this hurricane season to previous climatological averages, analyze the larger synoptic and global environments that have been both conducive and unfavorable for the development of tropical systems, and discuss notable hurricanes that have developed.