The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season ever recorded, breaking the record of 2005. It had thirty-one tropical or subtropical cyclones, thirty named storms, thirteen hurricanes, and six major hurricanes. It had over twenty tropical storms that broke formation date records. The season happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, making it harder to evacuate and give help to people who needed it.
Quick facts for kids
2020 Atlantic hurricane season
 |
| Season summary map |
| First storm formed |
May 16, 2020 |
| Last storm dissipated |
November 18, 2020 |
| Strongest storm |
Iota – 917 mbar (hPa) (27.09 inHg), 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| Total depressions |
31 (record high, tied with 2005) |
| Total storms |
30 (record high) |
| Hurricanes |
13 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) |
6 |
| Total fatalities |
≥ 409 total |
| Total damage |
> $46.909 billion (2020 USD) |
Atlantic hurricane seasons
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
Season summary
Storms
Tropical Storm Arthur
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
May 16 – May 19 |
| Intensity |
60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min), 991 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Arthur was an early storm. It formed on May 16 from a stormy area near Cuba, and caused damage in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as The Bahamas and Bermuda. Even though the storm was somewhat strong, it only lasted three days.
Tropical Storm Bertha
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
May 27 – May 28 |
| Intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 1004 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Bertha was an early storm as well. While it only lasted one day, it caused some damage in The Bahamas and Southern United States. It also led to the Crew Dragon Demo-2 flight being delayed.
Tropical Storm Cristobal
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
June 1 – June 10 |
| Intensity |
60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min), 992 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Cristobal was the earliest third named storm on record. The storm had formed from clouds left-over by Tropical Storm Amanda. The storm formed in the Bay of Campeche, devastated Mexico, and stalled, before hitting Louisiana. The storm then traveled up to Wisconsin, as a weaker tropical depression, before becoming post-tropical.
Tropical Storm Dolly
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
June 22 – June 24 |
| Intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min), 1002 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Dolly was a short-lived storm. It formed on June 22 as a subtropical system, becoming tropical on June 23, as it reached tropical storm status, and dissipated on June 24.
Tropical Storm Edouard
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 4 – July 6 |
| Intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min), 1007 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical Storm Edouard formed in an unusual time of the year, in July. It formed on July 4, and reached tropical storm status on July 6. After reaching tropical storm status, it became the earliest fifth named storm.
Tropical Storm Fay
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 9 – July 11 |
| Intensity |
60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min), 998 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest sixth named storm. Tropical Storm Fay formed off the coast of the Carolinas and then struck New Jersey as a tropical storm, weakening inland.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 21 – July 25 |
| Intensity |
65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min), 997 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest seventh named storm. Nearly made a landfall in Guyana.
Hurricane Hanna
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 23 – July 27 |
| Intensity |
90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min), 973 mbar (hPa) |
In July 23, Hanna formed in the Gulf of Mexico, from a tropical wave. On July 24, it reached tropical storm status, becoming the earliest named eighth storm. The storm rapidly strengthened, becoming a hurricane on July 25. It then before hitting Texas later that day. The damage was bad, as a pandemic was growing at that time.
Hurricane Isaias
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 30 – August 5 |
| Intensity |
85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min), 987 mbar (hPa) |
Isaias was a bad storm. It hit the Bahamas, before moving up the east coast of the United States, making landfall in North Carolina. Before the storm formed, it was broad and disorganized, but upon being named on July 30, Isaias became the earliest ninth named storm ever recorded. It then moved up into the Dominican Republic, and then into the Bahamas. It then traveled off the coast of the United States, and hit North Carolina. Isaias caused over $4.2 billion dollars worth of damage.
Tropical Depression Ten
| Tropical depression (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 31 – August 2 |
| Intensity |
35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min), 1007 mbar (hPa) |
Tropical depression Ten formed on July 31, but failed to strengthen due to harsh conditions. The storm moved slowly, and dissipated on August 2. Some tropical storm force winds were found in the center of the system by the National Hurricane Center, but they said it was bloated.
Tropical Storm Josephine
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 11 – August 16 |
| Intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min), 1004 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest tenth named storm.
Tropical Storm Kyle
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 14 – August 16 |
| Intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 1000 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest eleventh named storm, breaking the record of Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Laura
Main article: Hurricane Laura
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 20 – August 29 |
| Intensity |
150 mph (240 km/h) (1-min), 937 mbar (hPa) |
On August 20, a tropical wave organized into a tropical depression. The next day, the depression, which was originally disorganized, strengthened into Tropical Storm Laura. Upon reaching tropical storm status, it became the earliest twelfth tropical storm in the Atlantic. The system then passed over the Leeward Islands, passing south of Puerto Rico. The system made landfall on the Dominican Republic, but the system had not lost any strength, despite the mountainous terrain. The system then made landfall in Cuba twice, before becoming a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico on August 24. The storm underwent rapid intensification, becoming a category 2 hurricane on August 25. Laura became a major hurricane (Category 3) 9 hours later. The storm then became a Category 4 6 hours later. Its highest winds were 150 mph. The storm hit Louisiana around that time. After going over Louisiana, the system quickly weakened, and lost its life over Kentucky.
In Louisiana, buildings were damaged very badly by the storm. The highest winds were reported at 95 miles per hour in Lake Charles, along with a gust of 137 miles per hour also in Lake Charles. Damage was the worst in Lake Charles, where almost every house had a tarp on it to keep out rain after their roofs had been destroyed. Luckily, even though a push of water was suppose to be more than 15 feet in places, at last minute, it moved to the west, pushing all the water into places with less people.
Hurricane Marco
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 20 – August 25 |
| Intensity |
75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min), 991 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest thirteenth named storm.
Tropical Storm Omar
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 31 – September 5 |
| Intensity |
40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min), 1003 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest fifteenth named storm. Very unusual track.
Hurricane Nana
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 1 – September 4 |
| Intensity |
75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min), 994 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest fourteenth named storm. Formed after Omar, but strengthened into a tropical storm before Omar.
Hurricane Paulette
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 7 – September 23 |
| Intensity |
105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min), 965 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest sixteenth named storm. It then made a very rare landfall in Bermuda, and then dissipated. After it dissipated, it became a tropical storm again. Because of this, people called it a "zombie storm," because it came back after dissipating.
Tropical Storm Rene
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 7 – September 14 |
| Intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 1000 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest seventeenth named storm.
Hurricane Sally
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 11 – September 17 |
| Intensity |
105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min), 965 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest eighteenth named storm.
Hurricane Teddy
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 12 – September 24 |
| Intensity |
140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min), 945 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest nineteenth named storm.This storm formed and eventually became a category 4, before weakening and hitting Newfoundland with winds 65 mph.
Tropical Storm Vicky
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 14 – September 17 |
| Intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 1002 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest twentieth named storm.
Tropical Storm Beta
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 17 – September 23 |
| Intensity |
60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min), 994 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest twenty-third named storm.
Tropical Storm Wilfred
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 18 – September 21 |
| Intensity |
40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min), 1007 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest twenty-first named storm.
Subtropical Storm Alpha
| Subtropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 18 – September 19 |
| Intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min), 996 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest twenty-second named storm. Made an extremely rare landfall in mainland Europe. Made 2020 only the second season to use the Greek Alphabet.
Tropical Storm Gamma
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 2 – October 6 |
| Intensity |
70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min), 980 mbar (hPa) |
Earliest twenty-fourth named storm.
Hurricane Delta
| Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 5 – October 11 |
| Intensity |
230 km/h (145 mph) (1-min), 953 hPa (mbar) |
Earliest twenty-fifth named storm. Made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2, causing catastrophic damage.
Hurricane Epsilon
| Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 19 – October 26 |
| Intensity |
185 km/h (115 mph) (1-min), 951 hPa (mbar) |
Earliest twenty-sixth named storm. Fourth major hurricane of the season.
Hurricane Zeta
| Category 2 tropical cyclone (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 24 – 29 |
| Intensity |
175 km/h (110 mph) (1-min), 970 hPa (mbar) |
Earliest twenty-seventh named storm. Caused damage in the Southeast United States. Brought snow to New England.
Hurricane Eta
Main article: Hurricane Eta
| Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 31 – November 13 |
| Intensity |
240 km/h (150 mph) (1-min), 923 hPa (mbar) |
Earliest twenty-eight named storm. Became a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Struck Central America, Cuba, and Florida.
Tropical Storm Theta
| Tropical storm (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 10 – November 15 |
| Intensity |
110 km/h (70 mph) (1-min), 989 hPa (mbar) |
On November 10, Subtropical Storm Theta formed, making the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record. The next day, the storm transitioned into a tropical storm, as it peaked with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). The storm then weakened, but restrengthened to reach 65 mph (105 km/h), before weakening, and eventually dissipating on July 15.
Hurricane Iota
| Category 5 hurricane (SSHS) |
|
|
| Duration |
November 13 – November 18 |
| Intensity |
160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min), 917 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane Iota was a deadly and damaging storm that hit Central America on November 17. Forming in the Caribbean Sea, the storm strengthened a lot rapidly, becoming the second Category 5 to form on November, reaching Category 5 status on November 16.
Season effects
This is a table of all the storms that have formed in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, landfall(s), denoted in parentheses, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a tropical wave, or a low, and all the damage figures are in USD. Potential tropical cyclones are not included in this table.
2020 North Atlantic tropical cyclone season statistics
Storm
name |
Dates active |
Storm category
at peak intensity
|
Max 1-min
wind
mph (km/h) |
Min.
press.
(mbar) |
Areas affected |
Damage
(USD) |
Deaths |
Refs
|
| Arthur |
May 16 – 19 |
Tropical storm |
60 (95) |
990 |
Southeastern United States, The Bahamas, Bermuda |
$112,000 |
None |
|
| Bertha |
May 27 – 28 |
Tropical storm |
50 (85) |
1005 |
Southeastern United States, The Bahamas |
> $130,000 |
1 |
|
| Cristobal |
June 1 – 10 |
Tropical storm |
60 (95) |
992 |
Central America, Mexico, Central United States, Great Lakes Region, Eastern Canada |
≥ $665 million |
15 |
|
| Dolly |
June 22 – 24 |
Tropical storm |
45 (75) |
1002 |
East Coast of the United States, Atlantic CanadaNone |
None |
None |
|
| Edouard |
July 4 – 6 |
Tropical storm |
45 (75) |
1007 |
Bermuda, British Isles, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Western Russia |
Minimal |
None |
|
| Fay |
July 9 – 11 |
Tropical storm |
60 (95) |
998 |
East Coast of the United States, Eastern Canada |
≥ $350 million |
6 |
|
| Gonzalo |
July 21 – 25 |
Tropical storm |
65 (100) |
997 |
Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela |
Minimal |
None |
|
| Hanna |
July 23 – 27 |
Category 1 hurricane |
90 (150) |
973 |
Greater Antilles, Gulf Coast of the United States, Mexico |
≥ $875 million |
5 |
|
| Isaias |
July 30 – August 5 |
Category 1 hurricane |
85 (140) |
987 |
Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, East Coast of the United States, Eastern Canada |
$4.725 billion |
18 |
|
| Ten |
July 31 – August 2 |
Tropical depression |
35 (55) |
1007 |
Cabo Verde Islands |
None |
None |
|
| Josephine |
August 11 – 16 |
Tropical storm |
45 (75) |
1004 |
None |
None |
None |
|
| Kyle |
August 14 – 16 |
Tropical storm |
50 (85) |
1000 |
The Carolinas |
None |
None |
|
| Laura |
August 20 – 29 |
Category 4 hurricane |
150 (240) |
937 |
Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, Southern United States |
≥ $16.1 billion |
77 |
|
| Marco |
August 20 – 25 |
Category 1 hurricane |
75 (120) |
991 |
Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Central America, Greater Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf Coast of the United States |
≥ $35 million |
1 |
|
| Omar |
August 31 – September 5 |
Tropical storm |
40 (65) |
1003 |
Southeastern United States, Bermuda, Scotland |
None |
None |
|
| Nana |
September 1 – 4 |
Category 1 hurricane |
75 (120) |
994 |
Lesser Antilles, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Central America, Southeastern Mexico |
≥ $20 million |
None |
|
| Paulette |
September 7 – 23 |
Category 2 hurricane |
105 (165) |
965 |
Cabo Verde Islands, Bermuda, East Coast of the United States, Azores, Madeira |
> $50 million |
1 |
|
| Rene |
September 7 – 14 |
Tropical storm |
50 (85) |
1000 |
Senegal, The Gambia, Cabo Verde Islands |
Minimal |
None |
|
| Sally |
September 11 – 18 |
Category 2 hurricane |
105 (165) |
965 |
The Bahamas, Cuba, Southeastern United States |
≥ $6.26 billion |
8 |
|
| Teddy |
September 12 – 23 |
Category 4 hurricane |
140 (220) |
945 |
Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Bermuda, East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada |
> $35 million |
3 |
|
| Vicky |
September 14 – 17 |
Tropical storm |
50 (85) |
1000 |
Cabo Verde Islands |
Minimal |
1 |
|
| Beta |
September 17 – 23 |
Tropical storm |
60 (95) |
994 |
Mexico, Gulf Coast of the United States |
≥ $400 million |
1 |
|
| Wilfred |
September 18 – 21 |
Tropical storm |
40 (65) |
1007 |
None |
None |
None |
|
| Alpha |
September 18 – 19 |
Subtropical storm |
50 (85) |
996 |
Iberian Peninsula |
> $1 million |
1 |
|
| Gamma |
October 2 – 6 |
Tropical storm |
70 (110) |
980 |
Cayman Islands, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula |
> $100 million |
7 |
|
| Delta |
October 5 – 10 |
Category 4 hurricane |
145 (230) |
953 |
Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf Coast of the United States |
$4.19 billion |
6 |
|
| Epsilon |
October 19 – 26 |
Category 3 hurricane |
115 (185) |
951 |
Bermuda |
Minimal |
None |
|
| Zeta |
October 24 – 29 |
Category 2 hurricane |
110 (175) |
970 |
Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf Coast of the United States, East Coast of the United States |
≥ $3.8 billion |
8 |
|
| Eta |
October 31 – November 13 |
Category 4 hurricane |
150 (240) |
923 |
ABC Islands, Jamaica, San Andrés and Providencia, Central America, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States |
≥ $7.9 billion |
≥ 189 |
|
| Theta |
November 10 – 15 |
Tropical storm |
70 (110) |
989 |
Canary Islands, Madeira |
None |
None |
|
| Iota |
November 13 – 18 |
Category 5 hurricane |
160 (260) |
917 |
ABC Islands, Venezuela, Colombia, San Andrés and Providencia, Central America, Mexico |
$1.4 billion |
≥ 61 |
|
| Season Aggregates |
| 31 systems |
May 16 – November 18 |
|
160 (260) |
917 |
|
> $46.906 billion |
≥ 409 |
|
Related pages
Images for kids
-
United States tropical watches and warnings issued during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Watches and warnings were issued in every coastal county except Wakulla and Jefferson counties in Florida.
-
Five simultaneous tropical cyclones active in the Atlantic on September 14: Sally (left), Paulette (center left), Rene (center right), Teddy (bottom right), and Vicky (far right). The tropical waves that would later spawn Beta and Wilfred are respectively located to the left of Sally and to the bottom-right of Vicky, and the extratropical cyclone that would later become Alpha is visible north of Rene.
See also
In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 2020 para niños
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