Andy_Johnson's Blog

Officially, the huricane season in the Atlantic basin begins on June 1. The Eastern Pacific season begins May 15. Tropical Storm Alma had moved inland over Nicaragua a few days ago. A cluster of thunderstorms to the east of the storm intensified in the Caribbean on May 31 and developed into Tropical Storm Arthur. Even though the system in the Caribbean was indirectly related to Alma, it did have a seperate center.

So, the Hurricane Center decided to give the separate system it's own Atlantic name...Arthur. The strange thing about Arthur is that its center was already over land when it was upgraded from a tropical disturbance to a tropical storm.

At any rate, the 2008 hurricane season if off to an early start, beginning on May 31. That could be a sign confirming the forecasts of an active hurricane season. It also goes to show that even though we define the hurricane season as running from June 1 to November 30, nature plays by its own rules and operates under its own timing.