ORLANDO, Fla. — By now, you've heard a tropical system is developing in the Gulf of Mexico this week and we are a long ways off from the peak of hurricane season, which is Sept. 10.
- It is not uncommon for a tropical system to develop in July
- Only 8 percent of named storms have developed in July in the Atlantic since 1851
The areas most favored for tropical development at this point in the season are close to Florida.
They include around the Bahamas, along Florida's East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.
Of course, tropical systems can form at any time of the year and the season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Therefore, it is not uncommon to have a tropical system develop in July nor is it not unusual to have a potential system develop so close to Central Florida this time of the year.
But, only 8 percent of named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season have developed in July since 1851.
In July of 2018, there were two named storms that developed in the Atlantic. Those were Beryl and Chris.
Beryl formed around the 4th of July and impacted the Lesser Antilles while Chris developed east of the Carolinas and tracked northward near the Eastern seaboard. Chris never made landfall.
Beryl and Chris were both hurricanes at one point during their cycle. This was the first time two hurricanes formed in the month of July since 2008.
However, 2005 was one of the most active Julys on record for tropical development. That is when there were four named storms. Two of the storms made landfall in the Gulf of Mexico.
One of those was Dennis, which made landfall at Navarre Beach, near Pensacola, on July 10, as a Category 3 hurricane.
Dennis was even up to a Category 4 hurricane at one point before landfall.
Cindy is only the third hurricane to make landfall in July in Louisiana since 1851. Before Cindy, it was Danny in 1997 and Bob in 1979.
If this next potential tropical system becomes a hurricane and impacts Louisiana, it would only be the fourth to make landfall in Louisiana in during this month since 1851.
