604 Atlantic hurricane season

The 604 Atlantic hurricane season was an active season, with 17 storms forming, including 1 off-season in early May. Of the 17 storms in the year 604, 9 became hurricanes; 3 were major hurricanes. The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, which conventionally delimits the Atlantic hurricane season each year, during which almost every tropical cyclone forms. The first tropical system of the year formed early in the season, on May 4, and the last system dissipated on November 24.

The first system, Alba, was an early forming system that found a break in the intense shear of early May. The season continued at a slow pace before ramping up with Delphini and Edgar of August. The two storms co-existed in the basin, with Delphini reforming twice before becoming a category 2 hurricane which made landfall just south of Freeport, TX. Edgar was the first Cape Verde storm of the season, recurving far east. Firenze, Galileo, and Hebe followed, the former and latter making landfall on the Gulf coast; Firenze as a category 2 hurricane between Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, FL, Hebe as a tropical storm in Kleberg County. Both storms caused near a billion USD in damages. Hurricane Kiel made landfall in North Carolina, though leaving minimal damages. Hurricane Lyra's landfall in mid-September on the Mississippi-Alabama border did little to help the already affected area, especially on the eastern side of the storm. Storm surge flooded already devastated areas causing further erosion and more set-backs in reconstruction efforts. The month of October featured weaker storms that tended to stay out to sea, though Odin still affected both the Lesser and Greater Antilles as a tropical wave throughout it's intensification to a moderate tropical storm. The season ended with Povitamun's landfall in Nicaragua, and Rod's passing over the Dominican Republic with affects in Puerto Rico.

The pre-season forecasts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were near spot-on. In December of the previous year, it was expected that the Atlantic basin would produce 14-16 named storms, of which 7-10 would become hurricanes, and 4-5 would further become major hurricanes.

Tropical Storm Alba
A weak disturbance in the western Caribbean Sea, moved northwest and intensified unexpectedly into a tropical depression. Shear lowered as the storm steered onto a more westerly track late on May 4. It steadily intensified throughout the next day, turning back north as it neared the Yucatan Peninsula, Alba reached peak intensity at 12z on May 6. As the center of the storm passed about 70 km west of the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, shear began to kick in, reversing the development of Alba. Just over 24 hours later, the National Hurricane Center issued their last advisory on the storm as it began to interact with the tail end of a weak front. The post-tropical remnants continued into Florida and Georgia where, with the front, it caused several inches of rain. By May 9 the storm was entirely integrated with the front.

Tropical Depression Two
Tropical Depression Two formed from a wave passing northeast of The Bahamas on a northwest course. Sans some meandering, the depression held course and did not intensify into a named storm due to shear. The storm's center ran exposed in front of the storm for the last 24 hours of its life. The remnants of Two neared northern Florida but slowed and made a hairpin turn, accelerating east-northeastward before being absorbed by a strong extratropical cyclone exiting New England.

Tropical Storm Bellefontaine
After nearly a month long lull in activity, the Atlantic basin spawned a tropical depression in the northern Bay of Campeche on July 2 from a disturbance originating over Central America. Just 6 hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm, and it was named Bellefontaine. The storm curved to the north over the period of July 3, when it made landfall near La Pesca, Mexico. Convection rapidly decreased as the cyclone sucked in dry air from the surrounding environment and it was declared a remnant low.

Hurricane Chris
The fourth tropical depression of the year formed approximately 200 km east of the island of Sint Maarten on July 17. On a path northwest, the depression became a tropical storm midday on July 18. Rains fell in the northern Lesser Antilles as the storm passed to the north and continued further out to sea. It continued to intensify, and by July 21, Chris became a hurricane. The next day, the National Hurricane Center noted an eye forming on satellite imagery. The storm slowly intensified, approaching North Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands. Hurricane watches, and eventually warnings were issued as Chris approached The Bahamas. Tropical storm and hurricane watches were posted for eastern Florida on July 23. These were later upgraded to warnings, with the watch regions being extended to the north and south. Chris was eventually upgraded to a category 2 hurricane at 06z on July 24, just as it was making a direct hit on North Abaco Island. Continuing on its west-northwest path, Chris made landfall at 0215z on July 26 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. As it moved inland, the eye filled and upon becoming a Tropical Depression, Chris recurved and became a remnant low in Georgia.