CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Atlantic Basin has gotten off to an early start to its season – again. Subtropical Storm Ana has become the first named storm of the season, and while it almost certainly won’t threaten the United States, it does give an extension on life to a concerning trend. The fledgling system formed before June 1st – the official start of hurricane season in the Atlantic – to make 2021 the seventh year in a row to produce a named storm in May or earlier, which is a record.
Fortunately, the newly minted system is expected to continue a northeasterly trend out to sea. Ana is expected to dissipate by Monday afternoon. The record-extending storm comes on the heels of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) forecast for another active season. While 2021 is not expected to produce anywhere near the eye-popping 30 named storms the 2020 season did, the early start is something to watch as the Atlantic heats up.
