Threats of June hurricanes

 

Hurricane Beryl on June 30, 2024 (Source: NOAA)

Although hurricane season officially got underway June 1, Atlantic hurricanes are actually relatively rare this month. That’s because environmental conditions don’t often become favorable over a large area until later in the season. However, there have been some significant June hurricanes.

Beryl (2024): Beryl was the first Category 4 June hurricane on record in the Atlantic Ocean. Its sustained winds reached 130 mph on June 30. That made it the strongest June hurricane by wind speed on record. The previous record holder was Hurricane Audrey in 1957 whose peak winds reached 125 mph. However, Audrey’s lowest central air pressure was 946 millibars (mb) and that remains the lowest air pressure in a June tropical system. 

Alex (2010): Alex was a Category 2 at peak intensity with sustained winds of 110 mph when it made landfall in Mexico on June 30.  Its minimum central air pressure fell to a low 946 millibars (mb), which is more commonly found in a strong Category 3 or a Category 4 hurricane. Alex was also the Atlantic’s first June hurricane since Allison in 1995. 

Air pressure often falls more quickly in an intensifying tropical system than wind speeds can increase. That’s why meteorologists use air pressure instead of wind speed as a more accurate measure of tropical cyclone intensity. 

Bonnie (1986): In 1986, Bonnie developed in late June and became the first hurricane of the season on June 25. It made landfall along the eastern Texas coast as a Category 1 with sustained winds of 85 mph. This was the last time a June hurricane made landfall in the United States.

Abby (1968): June was active in the tropical Atlantic with three named storms, including two hurricanes. Abby was a minimal Category 1 with peak winds of 75 mph, but weakened to a tropical storm before its initial landfall near Punta Gorda, Florida on June 4. It made a second landfall as a weaker storm near Jacksonville, Florida.  

Later in the month another tropical depression impacted the state of Florida. However, it wasn’t named Tropical Storm “Brenda” until after it had moved eastward into the Atlantic and away from Florida. Brenda became a Category 1 hurricane with peak winds of 75 mph before it dissipated over the open Atlantic. 

Alma (1966): Alma was an exceedingly rare major hurricane that developed in June. Alma was a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 125 mph at its peak intensity on June 8 in the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately, it weakened to a Category 1 storm before its landfall near Apalachee Bay, Florida on June 9. Alma was the last major Atlantic hurricane to develop during the month of June until Beryl last year.