ORLANDO, Fla. – We are just a few weeks into hurricane season, and activity is already ramping up in an unusual location in the tropics.
For the first time on record, we now have two labeled systems in the central Caribbean during the month of June. This occurrence is rare, since this zone in the tropics typically remains quiet during the first two months of the season.
Most storms in June tend to form off cold fronts that stall over the Gulf of Mexico or the southeast U.S. Thunderstorm activity over Central America can also trigger tropical development during the first month of hurricane season, keeping tropical breeding zones close to home.
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Historically, we’ve only seen three storms develop that far east in the tropical Atlantic. These storms include Elsa in 2021, Bret in 2017 and Ana in 1979.
And now in 2023, we now have Bret moving toward the Lesser Antilles and Tropical Depression #4, which could get the name Cindy soon.
This is the second “Bret” to hold this record. This is because storm names are recycled every six years, unless they are retired due to being destructive or deadly.
One of the reasons for this unusual June storm could be the immense heat being transferred into these tropical systems from the open ocean. The sea-surface temperatures across the Atlantic have been at levels we don’t usually see until much later in the summer months, with temperatures running several degrees above normal for June.
On average, we begin seeing storms in this region by August and September, during the Cabo Verde season. Click here to read more on that.
Even with the arrival of El Niño, sea-surface temperature anomalies could make this season a more abnormal one. It is best to stay informed and prepared for whatever the season brings our way.
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