Atlantic hurricane season comes to an end, leaving widespread damage in its wake

Associated Press

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close Saturday, bringing an end to a season that saw 11 hurricanes compared to the average seven, billions of dollars in damage and deaths and destruction hundreds of miles from where storms came ashore on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Hurricane Beryl became the first Category 4 hurricane to form in the month of June, slamming into the island of Carriacou in Grenada. In September, Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage across the southeastern U.S. and was the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005. In October, Hurricane Milton’s wind speeds hit a screaming 180 mph, making it one of the strongest ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.