ORLANDO, Fla. – History has been made again in the Atlantic basin.
For only the third time since the naming of tropical systems began in the 1950s, all of the names for the season have been used. This is the second consecutive year that all of pre-determined names have been exhausted. The first occurrence happened in 2005.
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After the Atlantic had no new named storms develop in the month of October, Subtropical Storm Wanda broke the streak on the eve of Halloween. Wanda, however, was not born of tropical origin. This was formerly a nor’easter that meandered out over the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic and took on tropical characteristics. Wanda eventually became fully tropical, gaining all of its strength from the warmer ocean waters, and therefore the “sub” was dropped.
Atlantic heating up?
In short, no. The system that will impact Florida Friday and Saturday will be non-tropical in nature. Once it leaves Florida and rides up the east coast of the U.S., this too could take on tropical characteristics.
At this time there are no systems with tropical origin brewing in the Atlantic basin and the basin shows no major signs of waking up. Last November saw two storms develop in the month including Category 4 Iota.
If another storm were to develop this year, a new supplemental list of names will be used rather than the Greek Alphabet.
The Eastern Pacific, meanwhile, remains hot with two systems likely to develop over the next five days. Those systems will move away from Central America in the Pacific Ocean.