2018 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids
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| Season summary map | |
| First storm formed | May 25, 2018 |
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| Last storm dissipated | October 31, 2018 |
| Strongest storm | Michael – 919 mbar (hPa) (27.15 inHg), 160 mph (260 km/h) |
| Total depressions | 16 |
| Total storms | 15 |
| Hurricanes | 8 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 2 |
| Total fatalities | 173 total |
| Total damage | $50.205 billion (2018 USD) |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 |
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The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season was a busy time for storms in the Atlantic Ocean. It had 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 2 very strong hurricanes. These powerful weather systems, called tropical cyclones, formed in the Northern Hemisphere. The official hurricane season usually runs from June 1 to November 30 each year.
The first storm of the season was Subtropical Storm Alberto, which formed on May 25. This was the fourth year in a row that a storm appeared before the official start date! In early July, Beryl became the first hurricane. Later, on September 5, Florence grew into the first major hurricane of the season. Then, on October 9, Michael became the second major hurricane. Just one day later, Michael became the third strongest hurricane to hit the United States, based on its low pressure. Only the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille in 1969 were stronger.
When Michael reached Category 5 strength, it marked the third year in a row with at least one Category 5 hurricane. (Remember Matthew in 2016, and Irma and Maria in 2017?) This season was also special because it had seven storms that were subtropical at some point. These included Alberto, Beryl, Debby, Ernesto, Joyce, Leslie, and Oscar. The season officially ended when Hurricane Oscar faded away on October 31.
Contents
Timeline of the 2018 Hurricane Season
How Hurricanes Get Their Names
Storms that form in the North Atlantic are given names from a special list. This helps people and weather experts keep track of them. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) decides which names to use. They also announce if any names will be "retired" (meaning they won't be used again) in the spring of the next year.
If a name is not retired, it will be used again in the 2024 season. The list for 2018 was almost the same as the one used in 2012. The only change was that "Sara" replaced "Sandy" after Sandy caused a lot of damage.
Here are the names used for storms in the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season:
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Retired Storm Names: Florence and Michael
On March 20, 2019, the World Meteorological Organization decided to retire the names Florence and Michael. This means these names will never be used again for an Atlantic hurricane. They were retired because the storms caused so much damage and loss of life. New names, Francine and Milton, will take their place for the 2024 season.
See also
In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 2018 para niños
