Crossover tropical cyclones, storms that traverse from one ocean basin to another, are a rare meteorological phenomenon.
Since records began in 1851, only 21 such storms have been documented. These storms either start in the Pacific and move into the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean or vice versa.
In 1960, Hurricane Abby made landfall over Belize, then known as British Honduras, and dissipated a day later while situated over the Mexican state of Tabasco. Its remnants crossed over Mexico into the Pacific Ocean and regenerated into Hurricane Celeste on July 20.
Only about 2% out of all Atlantic basin hurricanes recorded are crossover storms.
The occurrence of TWO crossover storms in a single year is even more exceptional, having happened only twice before 2024, once in 1988 and again in 1996.
This is the first year that two storms have crossed over from the Caribbean to the Pacific and the Pacific into the Gulf of Mexico.
This year, Tropical Depression Eleven-E formed in the Pacific near the southern Mexican coast. It crossed over into the Gulf of Mexico and became one of the strongest Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Milton.
Tropical Storm Nadine formed in the Caribbean and moved across Central America, reforming as Hurricane Kristy in the Pacific.
Historically, 17 storms have crossed from the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico into the Pacific, while only four have made the reverse journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Usually, when tropical systems encounter land, they deteriorate rapidly as their energy source, warm water, is no longer feeding the storm. However, As climate change continues to influence global weather patterns, we may see an increase in the frequency and intensity of crossover storms.
With information from NOAA
TYT Newsroom
