The tropics are finally quiet

There is no tropical storm activity in the Atlantic today for the first time since early November. The remains of Hurricane Epsilon are just a swirl of low clouds at the base of a cold front sweeping towards Europe, and are not a threat to regenerate into a tropical storm. However, all of the computer models are forecasting that a strong extratropical low pressure system will develop on Sunday near the region Epsilon died, and this new low has the potential to develop into Tropical Storm Zeta by late next week as it moves slowly westward over the mid-Atlantic. This storm will not be a threat to any land areas, and is expected to recurve harmlessly to the northeast later in the week.

Blog topics for the remainder of the year
I am working on a number of blog topics related to hurricane season that I hope to post over the next two weeks. There include:

1) Why did Puerto Rico and the northern Leeward Islands get missed this year?

2) What was the global hurricane season like? Did the other oceans experience as many intense hurricanes as the Atlantic, supporting a global warming connection?

3) Why was Katrina's storm surge so huge?

4) Was this year's incredible hurricane season partially attributable to global warming?

My next update will be on Monday.

Jeff Masters