Atlantic hurricane season less active than in previous years

The Atlantic tropical cyclone basin has only seen five named storms so far this year, a departure from recent years which have seen periods of high activity. The season usually has its peak during the month of September, but it didn't seem to happen this year. At this point in 2008, the last time the current Atlantic naming list was used, we were up to the K storm, Kyle. This year, we are only up to Edouard, which formed in early August in 2008. This decrease in tropical activity is probably due to changing weather patterns, which are known to cycle through every few years. Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific basin is up to the R storm, Rachel, and it looks like the Pacific is more active, as it usually is.