Track history of Tropical Storm Edouard in early July 2020.

(Data: NOAA/NHC)

Tropical Storm Edouard may have been a short-lived storm, but it set a record in the Atlantic Basin in early July 2020.

Edouard became the earliest fifth named tropical storm on record to develop in the Atlantic Basin, , a tropical scientist at Colorado State University. The fifth tropical storm of the season typically forms by August 31st, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Emily in 2005 held the previous record for the earliest fifth named storm.

Edouard succumbed to stronger wind shear and transitioned to a post-tropical cyclone over the North Atlantic Ocean just over 48 hours after it was first designated a tropical depression.

Edouard's Origin

Edouard had its origins in a spinning cluster of thunderstorms that developed over the Tennessee Valley on July 1. The cluster, called a Mesoscale Convective Vortex (MCV), moved southeastward through Georgia and South Carolina, then moved off the coast.

From there, it slowly organized and wobbled around until becoming Tropical Depression Five on July 4, then Tropical Storm Edouard on the night of July 5.

The Origins of Tropical Depression Five, later to become Tropical Storm Edouard.

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