Hurricane season is here, and we've already had one named storm in the Atlantic. Ana briefly became a tropical storm before making landfall near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, weeks before the official start of hurricane season.

So, does this early start mean the season ahead will a busy one? The good news: No, it doesn't. But it only takes one storm to create major issues for Florida.

Remember the 1992 season? A similar atmospheric setup was in place, and we ended up with only seven named storms. But nobody remembers how quiet it was, because one major hurricane named Andrew devastated southern Florida and grabbed headlines for years.

So, what's stopping this from being a blockbuster year for storms? El Niño.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation — or ENSO — is a combination of warming of the ocean water near the equator in the Pacific, and a wind pattern that favors a much more active Pacific over Atlantic season. Wind shear, the difference in wind speed and direction as we go up in the atmosphere, is much stronger over the Atlantic, thus creating an unfavorable atmosphere for hurricanes to develop.

This doesn't mean we won't see storms. It just looks like a quieter season overall.

This brings me to an important point to remember. We've seen Colorado State and the National Hurricane Center come out with their predictions for the season.

As meteorologists here at News 13, we predict the weather, but we don't go out on a limb to predict an entire hurricane season.

People tend to focus on this forecast and the numbers presented. I've heard it numerous times already in Central Florida: "Oh, looks like we'll be spared again this year," or "I see we don't have to worry about hurricanes this season."

This hurricane amnesia could result in serious injury or death if a hurricane does hit, and people aren't prepared. Again, it only takes one storm.

Are you prepared? Since I'm new to Florida, I've started my prep by using the News 13 Hurricane Preparedness Guide. If you don't have one, you can download it here for free.

Then head to our Hurricane Center for more resources to help you prepare, including what to pack in your hurricane supply kit.