Ana, First Named Storm Of 2021 Season, Forms In Atlantic Ocean

BERMUDA — Ana, the first named storm of the 2021 hurricane season, has formed in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is not expected to make landfall, forecasters said, and should dissipate within 36 hours.

This morning, Subtropical Storm Ana was located about 175 miles northeast of Bermuda. By 4 p.m. ET, the storm was crawling northeast at 5 mph with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.

The storm is expected to weaken gradually before dissipating by Monday, forecasters said.

While this Atlantic hurricane season isn't expected to be as active as last year's record-breaking season, it is expected to be above normal for the number of storms that churn across the ocean, experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

For this hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, the National Weather Service is predicting 13 to 20 named storms with top winds of 39 mph, six to 10 hurricanes with top winds of 75 mph, and three to five major hurricanes with top winds of 111 mph, according to Matthew Rosencrans, hurricane season outlook lead at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

NOAA said there is a 60 percent chance that 2021 will be an above-normal hurricane season.

The average is 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

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