Toe-to-toe with El NiñoThe main challenge these systems face is El Niño’s abundant storm-killing wind shear. Hurricane season has certainly been living up to those expectations so far: It’s been the least active start to the season since 2009. It could become a tropical depression as soon as Thursday as it tracks west across the tropical Atlantic. Season to dateA normal Atlantic hurricane season typically has at least three tropical storms by August 3 and four by August 15. Mid-August to mid-October is when most tropical storms and hurricanes form, so there’s still plenty of time for tropical systems to make an attempt.