6 years ago, the Atlantic hurricane season started in April
On April 20, 2017, Tropical Storm Arlene developed over the open waters of the central Atlantic Ocean in the days following Easter. It was only the third tropical cyclone in the Atlantic to form in April.
Here is why hurricane season runs from June to November
Hurricane season is long, why?
Is the Atlantic hurricane season starting earlier and earlier?
According to the National Hurricane Center, about 3% of Atlantic tropical cyclones occur outside the six-month hurricane season between June and November in the Atlantic Basin, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
While June 1 might signal its official start, a tropical cyclone developed before that date seven years in a row from 2015 through 2021. Six years ago, it even started as early as April.
EXPANDED TROPICAL CYCLONE OUTLOOKS, NEW NAMES IN STORE FOR THE 2023 HURRICANE SEASON
On April 20, 2017, Tropical Storm Arlene developed over the open waters of the central Atlantic Ocean in the days following Easter. It was only the third tropical cyclone in the Atlantic to form in April. An unnamed tropical storm in 1992 was the first, and that was followed by Tropical Storm Ana in 2003, according to NOAA's historical hurricane tracks database.
The tracks of pre-June 1 named storms in the Atlantic from 2015 through 2021.
(FOX Weather)
So the recent seven-year stretch that ended in 2021 certainly illustrated that tropical cyclones can roam the Atlantic before June 1 during what is technically the "offseason," proving that not every season follows a strict calendar.
Despite the early-season activity over the last decade, the NHC has not yet adjusted the start date of hurricane season, although in 2021, it did begin issuing routine Atlantic tropical weather outlooks on May 15 instead of the usual June 1.
WHY THE START DATE OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON WON'T CHANGE ANYTIME SOON
The NHC says the peak of Atlantic hurricane season is from mid-August to late October, with Sept. 10 marking the official peak date of the season.
The official hurricane season for the Atlantic Basin (the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) is from June 1 to Nov. 30. As seen in the graph above, the peak of the season is Sept. 10. However, deadly hurricanes and tropical storms can occur anytime in the hurricane season.
(FOX Weather)