JACKSONVILLE, Fla — With six names already crossed off the list for Atlantic storms so far this season, some of the earliest activity in more than 50 years, the tropics have been anything but quiet.
However, they're truly just now waking up.
I was in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. When I jumped into the near 90° water, the first thing I thought was, "Yeesh! I know it's late July, but we've still got a lot of summer to go!"
Ocean water typically need to be above 27° C or 80° F for storms to develop.
Bottom line: there's plenty of fuel in our tropical breeding grounds and environmental conditions tend to favor more development as we head deeper into the season.
Also, keep in the back of your mind that with bathwater right along the coasts storms could flare up quicker closer to land.
Hot spots expand across the Gulf, Caribbean, and Atlantic through August and September. The climatological peak is September 10.
And then, there's the classic National Hurricane Center map everyone posts on social media with those dreaded "X"'s for possible areas of formation.
While the tropics may seem to get an extra shot of caffeine in the coming weeks, there's no need to fret over every single "X" on that map.
The percentages for chances of development are going to fluctuate - all the time! Just remember to take things day by day, and to not grasp onto the first forecast you see. As we always say, stay tuned to updates.
Most of all, let's continue to enjoy this paradise we're able to call home. After all, there shouldn't be any worries as long as you're prepared.