User blog comment:HurricaneMaker99/What's with the worldwide power outage?/@comment-4074533-20130902211838/@comment-4074533-20130902222942

Well, 2011 did have seven total hurricanes, but it took 18 storms that year to get the seventh hurricane, Rina. The Weather Channel did say something about the high-pressure area over North America and its effect on Atlantic tropical cyclones recently. Again, I assume the La Nina conditions are causing the lack of intensity across the Pacific. And Dylan, 2013 is indeed far above the normal pace of a Pacific season stormwise, but we still are somewhat behind the record pace. As far as I know, 1985 had 17 storms by the end of August. Also, we have had just two Cat. 3+ systems (Soulik and Utor) across the entire NHEm. As far as I know, that is the record low since 1977, which also had only two by this point in the season.