Hurricane season nears record for latest first Atlantic hurricane

From The Weather Channel's Hurricane Central:

The Atlantic hurricane season is poised to set a record. Specifically, we're approaching the date of the latest first Atlantic hurricane in the satellite era, Sep. 11, 2002 (Gustav).

It's not as if we haven't had a number of named storms. In its short first life, Gabrielle soaked Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands last week. This "G" storm was born a full 12 days ahead of the average season pace. (Note: Gabrielle reformed near Bermuda on Sept. 10).

Short-lived, but tenacious Tropical Storm Fernand, was born too close to the Mexican coast in the Bay of Campeche to allow sufficient time to strengthen any further.

The previous three storms, Chantal, Dorian, and Erin, all succumbed to dry air and/or wind shear in the main development region before they could strengthen into hurricanes.

In the satellite era (since 1960), the Atlantic Basin had never previously gone through seven named storms without a single one becoming a hurricane. In the aforementioned 2002 season, the seventh named storm, "Gustav" did become a hurricane.

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