Tropical storm Aletta forms in the Eastern Pacific

storm-less streak ends

Tropical Storm Aletta forms in the Eastern Pacific ending a 70 day streak without a tropical storm somewhere on Earth.

MIAMITropical Storm Aletta formed in the Eastern Pacific early on Tuesday May 15th right on the "official" beginning of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season. 

It is rare to get a tropical storm this early in the Eastern Pacific.  Since 1949, when record keeping began in the Easter Pacific, there have only been two tropical storms that have formed by May 15th.  Hurricane Alma in 1990 and an unnamed storm back in 1996. 

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What is interesting about the formation of tropical storm Aletta is that it ends a 41 day streak without a tropical storm anywhere in the world.  According to the U.K. Met Office, the 41 day period is the longest span without a tropical storm in 70 years!

Prior to the formation of Aletta, the last tropical storm on the planet was tropical storm Daphne in the South Pacific, which dissipated April 3rd, 2012.  April is usually one of the quietest months globally for tropical cyclones.

The last time there were as many as 38 consecutive "storm-less" days was in 1944. 

The Atlantic hurricane season doesn't officially begin until June 1st.  However, the National Hurricane Season has issued special out of season "Tropical Weather Outlooks" on two disturbances so far in 2012.

The most recent disturbance, near the Azores, that developed on Saturday, Invest 92L, has weakened and is no longer being tracked by NHC.