The Atlantic hurricane season is unusually quiet, with no hurricanes forming for an extended period. Multiple outlets report that the season is setting a record for the longest start without a hurricane in the satellite era, highlighting how atypical current conditions are for the time of year.
Experts cited across the reports point to a strong El Niño as the main driver. They say El Niño shifts atmospheric patterns and increases wind shear over the Atlantic, which makes it harder for storms to organize and intensify even when sea-surface temperatures are warm. The result is a slower development of tropical systems and fewer opportunities for storms to reach hurricane strength.
While the outlets focus on the same overall phenomenon, they mainly differ in emphasis. The Independent and Christian Science Monitor stress the record-setting “slow” start and the role of El Niño in suppressing storm formation. The Winnipeg Free Press article aligns with this explanation, though its provided excerpt contains no additional detail beyond the shared theme of El Niño-linked quiet conditions.
