The official start to the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season is exactly a month away — June 1. This is despite the fact we already saw the first system of the year when Tropical Storm Arlene formed in the middle of the Atlantic on April 19.
To find out what we'll be calling the rest of the tropical storms and hurricanes this year, watch the video above.
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Tropical Storm Arlene was only the second named tropical system to ever form in April, but this was the third year in a row a tropical storm formed before the season began on June 1.
Another early tropical storm isn't entirely out of the question, either.
According to the Hurricane Research Division at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there have been 22 tropical storms that formed in May since 1851.
Most recently, Tropical Storm Bonnie formed in May 2016. Ana formed in May 2015. And in 2012, Alberto and Beryl both formed in the month of May.
According to the 1966-2009 average, however, the first named storm doesn't arrive until July 9 and the first hurricane doesn't arrive until August 10.
These most recent years, however, have been anything but average, and with Arlene in April, it appears the start of the 2017 season is an unusual one, too.
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