A Senior Hurricane specialist writes:
An alternative metric to storm count is the Power Dissipation Index (PDI), just the sum of the maximum surface winds cubed over the lifetime of each storm. This is a measure of the kinetic energy dissipated by each storm over its life. The (above) shows the accumulated PDI as a function of day of the year for year year since 1980.
By this metric, we are off to an unusually early start, but if nothing develops soon, 2005 will overtake this year.
Saharan dust keeping a lid on activity in the Atlantic for now, but prospects for development increase in late July and early August.