Zeta, lacking threat, still makes its mark

MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Zeta moved across the Atlantic yesterday, a day after it tied a record for the latest developing named storm in an infamous hurricane season.

Although the National Hurricane Center said Zeta was not expected to threaten land, its development was a surprise because it came a month after the season officially ended Nov. 30.

The 27th named storm of the season, Zeta was located about 1,060 miles southwest of the Azores, the National Hurricane Center reported yesterday. It was not expected to become a hurricane. As of yesterday, Zeta had maximum sustained winds near 60 miles per hour.

The six-month season featured a record 14 hurricanes, including Katrina, which caused the most costly disaster in US history.

The season also saw forecasters exhaust their list of 21 proper names and to begin using the Greek alphabet to name storms for the first time. Zeta tied one other storm for the latest developing named system since record-keeping began in 1851, said Greg Romano, a National Weather Service spokesman. Tropical Storm Alice developed on Dec. 30, 1954, and became a hurricane before it dissipated on Jan. 5, 1955.