ORLANDO, Fla. – We’re starting to see some of the first signs that the tropics are waking up as hurricane season closes in.
The first two tropical waves of the year have now rolled off the coast of Africa, the first on May 1 and the second on May 4.
While these systems are not expected to develop, they do mark one of the earliest seasonal signals that the Atlantic tropics are beginning to wake up.
Tropical waves are clusters of disturbed weather that move from east to west across the Atlantic. They often act as the building blocks for tropical systems later in the season.
On average, about 60 tropical waves develop across the Atlantic basin each year. But only a small percentage ever become more organized.
Hurricane season officially begins June 1.
Even though many seasonal outlooks are calling for a below-average season this year, it only takes one storm near you to make it an active season, personally.
Now is one of the best times to review your hurricane plans, restock supplies, and make sure you know what you would do if a storm threatens during the upcoming season.