Recapping the 2023 hurricane season on final day of season

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Thursday is the final day of a very active 2023 hurricane season, which runs each year from June 1st through November 30th.

This year saw the fourth-most named storms in a season since 1950.

NOAA says record warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a strong El Niño contributed to 20 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes (category 3 or greater). An average season has 14 named storms.

Idalia was the only hurricane to make landfall in 2023, coming ashore as a category three in Florida. Idalia moved across the southeast, impacting the Cape Fear as a tropical storm and spawning several confirmed tornadoes.

Tropical Storm Ophelia is the only other storm to threaten our region, moving by offshore and making landfall near Emerald Isle.

There are now 184 days until the 2024 hurricane season begins.