It began on June 1, 2021, and will end on November 30, 2021. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most Atlantic tropical cyclones form.[1] However, subtropical or tropical cyclogenesis is possible at any time of the year, as was the case this season, when Tropical Storm Ana formed on May 22, making 2021 the seventh consecutive year that a storm formed before the designated start of the season.[2] The season had the most active June on record, tying 1886, 1909, 1936, and 1968 with three named storms forming.[3] Then, on July 1, Hurricane Elsa formed, surpassing 2020's Tropical Storm Edouard as the earliest-forming fifth named storm on record by five days.[4] After a period of inactivity, seven cyclones formed in August, including the season's first major hurricanes: [nb 1] Grace, which intensified to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz, Ida, a deadly and destructive hurricane that made landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana at Category 4 strength, and Larry, which weakened to Category 1 strength prior to making landfall in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.[6]