After a couple years of wild, deadly and costly weather, the United States is mostly getting a lucky break this year. So far.

Hurricane and in 2013 has been flirting with record low levels, while are fewer and milder than last year.

Meteorologists credit a combination of luck, shifts in the high-altitude jet stream, and African winds and dust.

So far, there have been eight tropical storms. Not one has developed into a hurricane, though Tropical Storm Humberto—way out in the Atlantic off Africa—is likely to become one soon.

If Humberto stays a through Wednesday morning, 2013 will set the record for latest first hurricane of a season.

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