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Breaking: Gilma's On Tour! Next Stops: All Your Favorite Unprepared Coastal Towns

Oh, sure, Hurricane Gilma is all fury and drama, flouncing about as a Category 3, but apparently, it's also a considerate cultured storm, staying far out at sea, sipping tea, and avoiding all land like it’s a MAGA rally. How very progressive of you, Gilma!

Published August 22, 2024 at 7:17am by Julia Gomez

🌪️ Hurricane Gilma: Just Another Day in Our Climate-Changed World

Oh look, another hurricane. Just what we needed. 👏

Hurricane Gilma, because 2024 isn't chaotic enough, has decided to intensify this Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Center. It's expected to continue its west-northwest journey over the next few days, because why not?

By 5 a.m. EDT, Gilma was already a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph. And guess what? It might get even stronger today. Yay. 🥳

Hurricane-force winds extend 30 miles out from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 125 miles. But don't worry, folks, no coastal watches or warnings have been put into effect yet. It's all good. Until it's not.

And if you're wondering, "How active is the 2024 hurricane season?", just last week, Hurricane Ernesto hit Bermuda, bringing life-threatening surf and rip currents along the East Coast.

Oh, and in July? We saw the earliest Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Beryl, which caused "catastrophic damage" and 20 deaths as it slammed into multiple islands in the Caribbean. And let's not forget the preliminary death toll of 25 from when it entered the U.S. and moved through Texas, Louisiana, and Vermont, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.

Because you know, "Atmospheric and oceanic conditions have set the stage for an extremely active hurricane season that could rank among the busiest on record," stated NOAA's website. Thanks, climate change! 🌍🔥

In 2024, we could see 17 to 24 named storms, with around eight to 13 becoming hurricanes, and four to seven becoming major hurricanes with winds greater than 111 mph. Usually, there are around 14 named storms, seven of which become hurricanes, and three become major hurricanes during a season from June 1 through November 30. But who's counting?

Watch: Video shows wind from Alabama thunderstorm send large inflatable slide airborne. Because why not add some chaotic entertainment to the mix?

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Mike Snider, Eduardo Cuevas

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter , Instagram and TikTok : @juliamariegz