A tropical storm was recorded and named just one day into the 2023 hurricane season, although the system is far from Bermuda and forecast to quickly peter out.

The US National Hurricane Centre confirmed the formation of Tropical Storm Arlene in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday.

It was about 240 miles west of Fort Myers, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 40mph and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 70 miles from its centre. The system was expected to weaken tonight.

Hurricane season started on June 1 and will continue until November 30.

A 40 per cent chance of a near-normal season and a 30 per cent chance of a below-normal season has been predicted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The NOAA forecast 12 to 17 named storms with winds of 39mph or higher.

Of those storms, the organisation says, five to nine could develop into hurricanes with winds of 74mph or higher.