Atlantic hurricane season quietest in over four decades

NEW YORK — The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season is set to go down as a washout, marking the first time in 45 years that the strongest storm to form was a minor Category 1 hurricane, according to Property Casualty 360.

There could still be a late surprise in the June 1-November 30 season, but so far, at least, it has been one of the weakest seasons since modern record-keeping began about half a century ago, the article stated.

According to the article, while this meant relief for tens of millions of people in U.S. hurricane danger zones, it has been a bust for long-range forecasters who had predicted a stronger-than-usual burst of activity in the tropical Atlantic.

"We've been in this multi-decadal pattern of activity but it just didn't happen this year," said Jeff Masters, a hurricane expert and director of meteorology at Weather Underground, referring to the prolonged period of increased hurricane activity that began in 1995.

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