Tropical Storm Alex, formed early Sunday after bringing heavy rain and flooding to South Florida a day prior, became the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. The storm headed toward Bermuda after killing three people in Cuba.

Alex was moving away from the Bahamas and toward Bermuda Sunday morning with sustained winds of 50 mph. Monday, the storm is expected to pass north of Bermuda, which is currently under tropical storm warning. Gusty winds and 2 to 3 inches of rain are possible.

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its forecast for this hurricane season, an above-average year, with 14 to 21 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes -- of Category 3 strength or greater.

There are several contributing factors that play into a "busy" hurricane season.

"We are in an active period," said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. "There are certain ingredients that drive the intensity and the frequency of hurricanes."

One is the existing La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific.

This phenomenon creates cooler-than-average ocean temperatures around the equator in the Pacific and results in weather impacts around the globe.

La Niña presents favorable conditions for hurricanes in the Atlantic - in contrast to that of El Niño.

On Thursday, Colorado State University issued an update to its forecast. It now calls for a well-above hurricane season with 20 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes.

This is the highest number of named storms CSU has ever forecast for the season in June, Phil Klotzbach, author of the forecast, told CNN. In 2020, the university's forecast center predicted 19 storms during its June release, but that number included three storms that were named before the season started.
-Ap/CNN