Eight storms have made landfall in the US so far this season. The average per year is 3

We've already had 14 named storms, the average for an entire Atlantic hurricane season, and there are still 77 days left.

Posted 3:28 p.m. Sep 14, 2021 — Updated 3:49 p.m. Sep 14, 2021

Jessica Patrick, WRAL multiplatform producer,

and

Aimee Wilmoth, WRAL weather executive producer

Hurricane Nicholas made landfall in Texas early Tuesday morning as the eighth landfalling storm for the United States. The average number of storms to make landfall in the U.S. per year is three.

We've already had 14 named storms, the average for an entire Atlantic hurricane season, even though there are still 77 days left.

WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said, out of the 14 storms, five were hurricanes and three were major hurricanes.

Hurricane Nicholas made landfall in Texas early Tuesday morning as the eighth landfalling storm for the United States.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2021 forecast for the Atlantic season predicted 13 to 20 named storms and 6 to 10 hurricanes. NOAA's prediction of 3 to 5 major hurricanes has already been met and could be exceeded, as September and October are historically active months.

Sept. 14 marks the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Florence making landfall in North Carolina. The Atlantic season peaked on Friday and officially ends Nov. 30.

In 2020, Wilmoth wrote, "Climate change is real, and it is having a huge impact on our weather and on our tropical systems."

Warming Atlantic gives hurricanes more energy

Warmer sea surface temperatures adds energy to storms, giving them a greater potential to strengthen, she wrote, adding, "tropical systems are now producing heavier rain and are often moving slower, increasing the amount of rain and adding to the flooding risk."

This is troubling, since heavy rain and flooding causes most hurricane-related deaths, not winds, experts say.

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