The Atlantic hurricane season has ended after a record 30 named storms, including a new high of 12 that made landfall in the continental US.

The season featured six US landfalling hurricanes, tying the 1886 and 1985 seasons, as well as a further six landfalling tropical storms.

The National Hurricane Centre used Greek letters to name storms for only the second time ever due to the high amount of tropical activity, with landfalling hurricanes called Hanna, Isaias, Laura, Sally, Delta and Zeta.

“During this extremely active hurricane season, we experienced storms that generated significant wind and water damage, especially throughout the Gulf Coast,” Insurance Information Institute CEO Sean Kevelighan said.

Laura became the strongest hurricane to strike the US this year when it made landfall in Louisiana as a Category Four storm.

Louisiana experienced the most storms to strike the state in a single season, with hurricanes Delta and Zeta also crossing its coastline, along with storms Cristobal and Marco.

This year has featured an “anomalously warm tropical Atlantic” as well as La Nina conditions, which has helped fuel the extremely active season, Colorado State University research scientist Phil Klotzbach says.

The Atlantic season runs from June 1 to November 30.