The Atlantic Hurricane Season has finally come to a close in the Magnolia State, with the Mississippi Emergency Management System (MEMA) reporting that it was an above-average season this year.
A total of 20 storms were named in the Atlantic Ocean, including seven hurricanes of which three intensified to be major.
The major hurricanes were reported as being a Category 3 or higher:
- Hurricane Lee – Category 5
- Hurricane Franklin – Category 4
- Hurricane Idalia – Category 3
MEMA reports that throughout the entirety of the season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, Hurricane Idalia was the only U.S. landfalling hurricane in 2023.
In late August, Hurricane Idalia quickly grew to a Category 2 system before progressing to its peak strength as a Category 4.
The hurricane dropped back down to a Category 3 system shortly after as a storm surge containing heavy rainfall and winds ranging between 70 mph to 130 mph traveled near Cedar Key, Fla.
The storm then moved through Georgia and South Carolina before returning to the Atlantic Ocean several days later.
