Hurricane season’s start being weighed

PALM BEACH, Fla. — A recent spate of overly eager tropical cyclones may lead to an earlier start to hurricane season, pushing up the official first day to May 15 from the traditional kickoff of June 1 — a date that has been custom for more than five decades.

A possible jump-start will be discussed at a World Meteorological Organization meeting this month and could mean daily tropical weather forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center will begin early this year.

Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and spokesman for the hurricane center, said an official change in the start date would come only after a committee looked at storm data and examined the need and “potential ramifications of moving the beginning of the hurricane season to May 15.” But because the findings would have to be presented at a future meteorological group meeting for review, the date change may be unlikely this year.

The discussion was initiated in December at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s hurricane conference, which followed the most active hurricane season on record with 30 named storms.

The 2020 season was also the sixth consecutive year when named storms formed before June 1. Tropical Storm Arthur came to life May 16, followed by Tropical Storm Bertha on May 27. Tropical Depression Three, which formed June 1, became Tropical Storm Cristobal the next day.