1993 WMHB Atlantic hurricane season

The 1993 Atlantic hurricane season was a well below average Atlantic hurricane season and the first since 1983 to feature no major hurricanes. It featured only 7 named storms, of which 2 became hurricanes and none became major hurricanes. The season officially started on June 1st and ended on November 30th, dates which conventionally delimit the period in which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean. The season's first and strongest storm, Hurricane Arlene, developed on June 2nd, while the season's last storm, Tropical Storm Gert, dissipated on October 27th, more than a month before the season officially ended.

Of the season's 7 named storms, only 2 reached hurricane intensity during the year: Arlene and Dennis. Neither storm affected land during any point in their lifespan. In fact, no tropical cyclones affected the United States in 1993. An El Nino limited the season's activity, which was already predicted to be below average.

Hurricane Arlene
A cold front that moved off the east coast of the United States became stationary on June 1st. The cloud cover detached from the front to become a tropical low, and it had sufficient organization to be classified as Tropical Depression One on June 2nd. The following day, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Arlene.

As is typical with most high-latitude storms, Arlene was imbedded within a larger-scale cyclone, allowing further development of the system. By June 4th, Arlene had strengthened into a hurricane as it rapidly developed. The low-shear environment created by the larger cyclone allowed Arlene to rapidly intensify. Arlene became a Category 2 hurricane as it developed a well-defined eye.