Atlantic hurricane season nears record for lack of hurricanes

The Atlantic hurricane season is approaching a potential historical record due to a lack of hurricane formation. As the season nears its climatological peak on September 10, the basin has only seen five named storms—Arthur, Bertha, Cristóbal, Dolly, and Edouard—none of which have reached hurricane strength.

Experts attribute this unusual calm to the El Niño phenomenon, which increases upper-level winds and creates vertical wind shear. This shear prevents tropical disturbances from developing the necessary structure to strengthen into hurricanes. If no hurricane forms by September 11, the season will set a new record for the latest first hurricane in the satellite era, surpassing the previous marks set in 2002 and 2013.

In contrast to the Atlantic, the Eastern Pacific has seen significantly higher activity, recording 13 named storms, including four hurricanes and two major cyclones, driven by warmer waters in that region.