Weather IQ: Hurricane season is about to get more active

The Atlantic basin has officially entered the most active time of the year for the development of hurricanes and other tropical cyclones.

Towards the end of August, tropical activity typically ramps up ahead of the official peak of the hurricane season on Sept. 10. Historically, two-thirds of hurricanes form between Aug. 20 and Oct. 10.

During this time, the entire Atlantic basin, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico, becomes more conducive to development. There are two main reasons why: a shifting "main development region" (or MDR), and more tropical waves emerging off the coast of Africa.