Tropical Storm Josephine Breaks Record For Atlantic Storms, More Likely On The Way

Tropical Storm Josephine formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, hitting the earliest benchmark of a J-named storm on record, another sign the Atlantic hurricane season is more active than usual, forecasters said.

“It’s the earliest 10th named storm on record. It means we’re in a busy time ahead,” said Daniel Brown, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center.

“Typically we’d have just three named storms at this time of year,” Brown said. “This is a lot.”

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Aug. 6 increased its prediction for the number of tropical storms expected this year to as many as 25, the highest in the agency’s history, forecasters said.

By the end of the season on Nov. 30, NOAA predicts there will have been between seven and 11 hurricanes, of which six will be major, packing winds of 111 miles per hour (178 kph).