Tropical Update: August off to a quiet start

As we’re now a few days into the month of August, this is the time when the Atlantic hurricane season begins to see a gradual increase in activity. Historically, tropical development becomes more frequent during August as ocean waters reach their warmest temperatures and atmospheric conditions gradually become more favorable, leading into the traditional peak of hurricane season in September.

For now, however, the Atlantic Basin remains very quiet. The latest outlook from the National Hurricane Center shows no tropical cyclone development expected anywhere in the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf over the next seven days.

One reason for the slow start has been the influence of El Niño, which tends to increase wind shear across parts of the Atlantic. Stronger wind shear can disrupt developing tropical systems before they have a chance to organize. Even though El Niño can help limit overall hurricane activity, it doesn’t eliminate the threat.

While this lull is welcome news for Gulf Coast residents and visitors, now is the perfect time to review your hurricane preparedness plan!