Season's first tropical storm brewing

Posted at 5:23 PM on May 28, 2009 by Paul Huttner

TD One off the Atlantic Coast may become Tropical Storm Ana.

Here we go again.

Hurricane season begins on Monday, but the Atlantic hurricane season is already showing signs of life. Tropical Depression One is gaining strength about 300 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island. The National Hurricane Center says it may become the season's first tropical storm tomorrow. It is expected to remain at sea and is not a threat for make a landfall in the U.S. If Ana becomes the season's first named storm tomorrow it will be a little early this year. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1st to November 30th.

NOAA is forecasting near average tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin this year. An average season would produce 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 2 major (Category 3-5) hurricanes.

Changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean may affect this year's season. Cool La Nina conditions have disappeared, and a transition to a warmer Pacific Ocean is occurring. This may make for a difficult hurricane forecast this year as it takes time for the effects to change upper level wind patterns in the tropics.

PH

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