As the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the climate signals are anything but typical. The transition from El Niño to La Niña and unprecedented sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic have meteorologists and communities paying close attention to the potential severity and frequency of this year's hurricane potential.

Warmer ocean temperatures can fuel more intense hurricanes that cause widespread destruction, including severe flooding and wind damage, as well as long-term economic and social disruptions. With coastal populations growing, the consequences of a major hurricane can be catastrophic. The combination of this season’s meteorological patterns and growth along the Gulf Coast underscores the need for proactive planning and resilience.

In this episode, Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science talks to podcast host Maiclaire Bolton Smith to explore the implications of current climate conditions and how they might influence hurricane activity for the 2024 season. The discussion will also include an exploration of how communities should prepare for a hurricane season that is expected to be quite active.

1:55 – What can we expect from the 2024 hurricane season?

3:33 – To what degree do the current metrological phenomena make this season unprecedented?

6:56 – Why didn’t ocean temperatures result in an extreme hurricane season in 2023?

9:17 – Why doesn’t a major hurricane year always equate to a large loss year for insurance?

11:08 – Erika Stanley goes over the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.

12:28 – What does sea level rise mean for hurricane season?

15:06 – Is there still room for the National Hurricane Center to reduce incertitude in its cone of uncertainty models?

19:33 – How do hurricane models differ and how can they be interpreted for different uses?

23:12 – Erika Stanley reviews natural catastrophes and extreme weather events across the world.

23:58 – Where can you find more of Brian McNoldy’s research?

Up Next: Building Codes Cost. But What is Resiliency Actually Worth?

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