September 10 marks the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. So far, this has been one of the quieter seasons in recent memory. As of midday Tuesday, September 10, there has yet to be a hurricane in the Atlantic Basin. However, Tropical Storm Humberto was strengthening and will likely become the season’s first hurricane just before setting the record for the latest first hurricane of the season in the satellite era. Hurricane Gustav became the first hurricane of 2002 on September 11.
In addition to Humberto, Tropical Storm Gabrielle made a comeback and was reclassified south of Bermuda. The storm has winds of 50 mph as it moves north directly toward Bermuda. There are plenty of showers an thunderstorms in the Western Caribbean, and an area of thunderstorms nearing the Yucatán Peninsula could become tropical storm Ingrid later this week after the disturbance crosses the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico.
Even though the Atlantic hurricane season’s climatological peak is September 10, there is typically more action after the peak of hurricane season than before it. The 2013 forecast was for a very active year, and there is still plenty of season left for several hurricanes and tropical storms to form and threaten the United States coast.
