No hurricane has yet formed in the Atlantic this year, despite this week marking the historical peak of the season, putting the region on course to set a new record for the latest date without a hurricane in the satellite era. This unusually quiet spell is being driven by an exceptionally strong, still-intensifying El Niño, which forecasters say could become one of the most powerful on record, alongside a thick layer of Saharan dust drifting across the ocean, both of which suppress the storm formation that would normally be expected at this time of year.

The current record for the latest first hurricane, 11 September, was set in 2002 and 2013, and looks likely to be broken this week with no development expected in the near future. By comparison, an average season would have produced eight named storms and three hurricanes by now, whereas this year only five tropical storms have formed. El Niño increases wind shear over the Atlantic, tearing apart developing storms, while the Pacific has seen far greater activity, including major hurricane Lowell striking Hawaii. The Atlantic hurricane season continues until 30 November.