The 2021 hurricane season continued the recent trend of more frequent and intense storms. Hurricane Elsa became the earliest fifth-named storm on record. Then, in just three days, Ida strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane.
Ida made landfall just a few weeks after NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad said, “After a record-setting start, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season does not show any signs of relenting as it enters the peak months ahead.”