Tropical activity ramped up in the eastern Pacific Ocean this week with theformation of three tropical systems. Some may find it unusual that the Atlanticis not following suit, but it is typical for the eastern Pacific to turn moreactive well ahead of the Atlantic.The 2010 eastern Pacific hurricane season got underway on May 15, while theAtlantic hurricane season did not start until June 1. The earlier start time inthe eastern Pacific reflects how this basin typically turns active faster thanthe Atlantic.
On average, June 9 is when the first tropical storm is named in the easternPacific. In the Atlantic, that date is July 10.
Based upon those average dates, the eastern Pacific actually got underwayearlier than normal with the formation of Tropical Storm Agatha on May 29.
Agatha quickly dissipated into a tropical rainstorm over Guatemala during theearly morning hours of May 30.
The eastern Pacific then remained quiet until this week, when TropicalDepression Two-E and Tropical Storms Blas and Celia formed. Tropical DepressionTwo-E has since dissipated, but Blas may approach hurricane strength by Sunday.
Celia should rapidly strengthen, likely into a hurricane on Sunday.
As is the case this year, hurricanes usually form much quicker in the easternPacific than the Atlantic. The average first date for a hurricane to develop inthe eastern Pacific is June 24, but not until August 14 in the Atlantic.
The eastern Pacific is historically the most active of the two basins. Onaverage, 15 tropical storms are named each season in the eastern Pacific. Outof those, nine become hurricanes with four reaching major hurricane status.
Despite the eastern Pacific being rather active, the majority of tropicalstorms and hurricanes never threaten land. A typical eastern Pacific tropicalsystem will head westward into the open and progressively cooler waters of thePacific, dissipating in the process.
The eastern Pacific may be the most active of the two basins historically. Thisyear, however, AccuWeather.com Hurricane Expert Joe Bastardi is expecting atop-10 hurricane season in the Atlantic.
The Atlantic is currently free of any organized tropical system. There is atropical wave that is currently spreading downpours across the Caribbeanislands. Strong winds high in the atmosphere, also known as wind shear, arepreventing this wave from developing.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski