Tropical Storm Gamma adds to record-breaking hurricane season

Dinah Voyles Pulver

| Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Tropical Storm Gamma formed Friday in the Caribbean Sea and became the 24th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

In a season that has already been unusual for its activity, Gamma’s formation shattered a record set in the 2005 hurricane season.

In that season — the first in history to turn to Greek names as backup — the 24th named storm formed on Oct. 27, said Phil Klotzbach, a seasonal hurricane forecaster and meteorologist at Colorado State University. Gamma’s formation on Friday places it more than three weeks ahead of the old record.

Tropical Depression 25 has formed in the western Caribbean. The next name on the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season list is Gamma. Current record for earliest 24th Atlantic named storm is 10/27/2005. pic.twitter.com/AE3JwxFvZg

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 2, 2020

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The system, encountering wind shear on Friday, changed little, the center’s forecasters said. However, environmental conditions still favor strengthening to a tropical storm.