El Niño linked to strong wind shear as Tropical Storm Bertha forms in Atlantic

The 2024 El Niño, officially declared in June and projected to become a record‑breaking “Super El Niño,” is associated with unusually strong wind shear over the Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists say this shear, a hallmark of El Niño, has disrupted tropical development, contributing to the quiet start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Tropical Storm Bertha formed in the Gulf on Monday, marking only the second tropical storm of the season and underscoring the atypically low activity. Miami‑based hurricane expert Michael Lowry noted that wind shear levels this July were the second‑highest on record since satellite monitoring began in 1979. NOAA meteorologist Matthew Rosencrans added that the current shear pattern matches expectations for an El Niño‑driven season, though detailed studies will await the season’s end in November.