During 2022, tropical cyclones formed in seven major bodies of water, commonly known as tropical cyclone basins. Tropical cyclones were named by various weather agencies when they attained maximum sustained winds of . During the year, 134 systems formed, of which 88 were named. The strongest storm to form was Typhoon Nanmadol, with minimum pressure of . The deadliest tropical cyclone was Tropical Storm Megi, which caused 214 fatalities in the Philippines (excluding 132 others rendered missing), while the costliest was Hurricane Ian, which had an estimated damage total of at least $113.1 billion (2022 USD) after affecting Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, the western part of the Greater Antilles and Southeast United States.
This year featured an average number of tropical cyclones globally. The most active basin of the year was the West Pacific, which had yet another below average season, with 25 named systems forming. The East Pacific was above average with 19 named storms forming, while the North Atlantic was average with 14 named storms, the fewest number since 2015. The North Indian basin produced 7 named storms, which constituted above average activity, however only one strengthened to cyclone strength. The Southern Hemisphere also featured average activity, with Cyclone Batsirai causing heavy damage and killing many people in Madagascar. Throughout the year, 18 major tropical cyclones formed, which included three Category 5 tropical cyclones, both figures being below the 1991–2020 global averages. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for 2022 (seven basins combined), as calculated by Colorado State University (CSU) was 559.6 units overall, which was the fewest number of units seen since 2010.
Tropical cyclones are primarily monitored by ten warning centers across the world, which are designated as a Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These ten centers are the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Météo-France (MFR), Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), Papua New Guinea's National Weather Service (PNGNWS), the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS), and New Zealand's MetService. Unofficial, but still notable, warning centres include the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA; albeit official within the Philippines), the United States's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), and the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Center.
Global atmospheric and hydrological conditions The La Niña that started in the fourth quarter of 2021 is expected to continue into at least the first quarter of 2022, with an 87% chance of it persisting between the period of December 2021 to February 2022. On March 10, NOAA released an update on the ENSO conditions in the Pacific, in the update the La Niña is favored to continue into the Northern Hemisphere's summer with a 53% chance of it persisting during June – August 2022 period, and with a 40 to 50% chance of La Niña or ENSO-neutral during the Northern Hemisphere's autumn.
Summary
North Atlantic Ocean
The season started on May 31, when a low pressure area formed near the Yucatán Peninsula, partially related to the Pacific basin as the remnants of Agatha. Two days later, the NHC issued tropical storm watches for Cuba and parts of Florida and also designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone 01L. As it moved away from Florida, the system intensified into a tropical storm east of the state and was named Alex, becoming the first named storm in the Atlantic basin. The precursor of Alex killed 4 people in Cuba due to flooding. Alex also caused minor damages in Florida and Bermuda. On June 6, Alex transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone due to cooler waters and the loss of tropical characteristics. Alex's remnants later traveled across the North Atlantic towards Northern Europe, bringing heavy gale-force winds. Alex's formation on June 5 also made it the first season since 2014 to not have a pre-season named storm.
On June 23, a tropical wave that originated from the coast of Africa producing a large but disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms and the NHC classified the system as Invest 94L. Two day later, the disturbance moved along a west to west-northwesterly track toward the southernmost Windward Islands. On June 27, the NHC designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone 02L due to the threat the system posed to the Lesser Antilles and the northern area of Venezuela. As the disturbance moved towards off the coast of Central America on the morning of July 1, it became sufficiently organized to be classified as a tropical storm and was given the name Bonnie. Bonnie made landfall near the Costa Rica–Nicaragua border before it crossed into the Eastern Pacific basin, marking the first time a tropical cyclone survived the crossover from the Atlantic to the Pacific since Hurricane Otto in 2016.
On the same day, an area of low pressure formed offshore of Savannah, Georgia which made the NHC to classify the system as Invest 96L. On the next day, the system was designated as a tropical storm and given the name Colin as it approached North Carolina. Most of Colin's heavy rains and strong winds remained out over the Atlantic due to its proximity to the coast and northwesterly shear of around 25 mph (35 km/h). Colin then weakened into a tropical depression before it dissipated on July 3 over eastern North Carolina.
For the first time since 1997, no tropical cyclones formed in the basin during the month of August. This quiet period ended on September 1, when a tropical depression formed west of the Azores. The depression eventually organized into a tropical storm and was named Danielle by the NHC on the same day. Danielle later strengthened into the basin's first Atlantic hurricane of the season the following day. After Danielle's formation, another tropical depression formed east of the Leeward Islands on September 2. The depression organized into a tropical storm on the next day and was named Earl by the NHC. Earl further intensified into the basin's second hurricane. Earl reached its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane and became extratropical near the island of Newfoundland. Earl killed two people in Puerto Rico and caused minor flooding along the Canadian coast. Danielle on the other hand, stayed over the North Atlantic and did not affect any landmass. On September 12, the NHC began monitoring a tropical low in the central Atlantic for potential development. Two days later, the low became better organized and was designated as Tropical Depression Seven by the NHC. The depression further organized and was named Fiona. Fiona further intensified into the basin's third hurricane by September 18 and made landfall on Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Fiona then headed north and later reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming the first major hurricane of the season. Fiona then became a post-tropical cyclone and later made landfall on Nova Scotia. Altogether, at least 19 deaths have been attributed to Fiona. In Puerto Rico, which was still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Maria in 2017. 16 deaths were reported. In Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic and Canada, one death in each country was also reported. Fiona was also notable for having the lowest central pressure of 932 mbars at such a northerly latitude since 1979. On September 16, the NHC began to monitor a tropical wave over the central tropical Atlantic for potential development. The low gradually organized over the next few days and was later designated as Tropical Depression Eight on September 20. It further intensified into a tropical storm and was later named Gaston on the same day. Additionally, the NHC began tracking another tropical wave which was located east of the Windward Islands. By September 23, the low was able to form a well-defined circulation which resulted the NHC to classify the system as Tropical Depression Nine. The depression was then named Ian on the next day. On September 27, Ian began rapidly intensifying and made landfall on western Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane. Ian then emerged off the coast of Cuba and entered the Gulf of Mexico before strengthening further into a Category 5 hurricane. Ian then made landfall on Florida as a high-end Category 4 hurricane, tying as the 5th-strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States. After making its second landfall in Southwest Florida, Ian rapidly weakened into a tropical storm before moving back out into Atlantic, where the storm reintensified back into a hurricane and made landfall in South Carolina. Ian caused catastrophic damage across Southwest Florida, mostly from flooding due to extreme storm surge and rainfall. The hurricane killed at least 140 people across the Southeast United States mostly in Florida and The Carolinas and Cuba. On September 22, the NHC began tracking a tropical wave off the coast of Africa. The low quickly organized and was named Hermine by the NHC. Hermine was rather short-lived and dissipated on September 25 due to wind shear. Despite its short duration, Hermine was known for reaching tropical storm strength as it was located between the Cabo Verde Islands and the coast of Africa. On September 21, the NHC began to monitor a tropical wave located west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands for possible development. The depression was classified as Tropical Depression Eleven after showing some signs of organization on September 28. However, the depression remained poorly organized and dissipated in the open Atlantic on the next day. Nearing the end of September, the NHC began to monitor another tropical wave which emerged off the west coast of Africa for potential development. It was then classified as Tropical Depression Twelve after its structure became slightly organized on October 4. However, the depression was also short lived and dissipated three days later due to the influence of strong wind shear.