Miami.– The Pacific's El Nino ocean-warming phenomenon has resulted in an especially calm Atlantic hurricane season –a welcome respite for Caribbean and southeastern US residents still smarting from a 2008 pounding.

There have only been two hurricanes in the 2009 Atlantic season, which runs from June 1 to late November 30, but normally peaks in September and October.

Hurricane Bill reached powerful Category Four intensity on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale in mid-August. It bypassed most of the Caribbean and the US east coast, making landfall in southeastern Canada and causing modest damage.

Hurricane Fred formed in the Atlantic in early September, but petered out over the ocean before making landfall. "We were expecting very little activity this season," said Lixion Avila, a weather expert at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

"This happens when the El Nino phenomenon is present in the Pacific, the water warms up there, and that leads to hurricanes forming there and not in the Atlantic."