Why has our 2024 hurricane season mimicked the energy of a puppy? It was a lot all at once, followed by a sudden but prolonged period of sleepiness.

We have not seen a named storm since Ernesto.

If you think that seems out of the norm, you would be correct.

Enough people have been discussing the abnormally quiet period, so Colorado State University and its atmospheric scientists, who specialize in tropical activity, have issued a report to explain what is going on.

Their report details several possible contributing factors, but not a direct single reason.

Here are their main explanations:

-Northward movement of the monsoon trough: A shift in surface winds allowed for more dry air and messed up convection opportunities. Usually, some northward movement of this trough allows for a season to be active. But in this instance, it shifted too far north pushing it out of favorable conditions for cyclone development.

-Saharan dust: Any dust can choke a storm from developing.

-Upper tropospheric warming: One of the precursors for storm development is a difference in temperature between the bottom of the troposphere (the surface) and the top. To put it simply, air is more likely to rise if there is a steep contrast between the warmer surface and the cooler upper parts. The upper parts of the troposphere recently have been warmer, which is not encouraging for storms to develop.

-Too much easterly shear: When there is too much shear, different wind directions at different levels of the atmosphere can rip apart a storm instead of letting it develop.

-Large-scale patterns adjusted to be less favorable for tropical cyclogenesis (tropical storm development). This large-scale pattern is likely to persist for a couple more weeks, hopefully hindering further storm development.

Is the sleepiness an indication of what is to come for the rest of hurricane season?

No.

This month brings us to the peak of hurricane season (Sept. 10). There could still be an active season ahead.

According to experts, conditions are favorable for the next couple of weeks to remain on the low-key side.

It’s easy to associate summer with tropical storms, so since the season is ending, hurricane season should be too, right?

No!

Hurricane season runs through the end of November, which means we have several more months of activity to get through.

The News 12 Storm Watch Team will continue to monitor and keep you updated on any tropical systems that would impact us here. But for now, we will welcome a quieter period hurricane season with open arms.