Doyle Rice

USA TODAY

Alex became the first hurricane to form in the Atlantic Ocean in January in nearly 80 years Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Azores as the storm headed north-northeast at 23 mph toward the island chain with winds of 85 mph. The storm is forecast to bring hurricane conditions to the central Azores early Friday.

Alex is only the third hurricane ever recorded in January in the Atlantic Ocean, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.

It is the first hurricane to form in January since an unnamed storm in 1938. The last storm to occur in January was Alice in 1955. That storm formed in December 1954. Hurricane records began in 1851.

The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs from June to Nov. 30. During that time period, 97% of all tropical storms and hurricanes form. The season's first hurricane usually arrives in early August.

The hurricane center warned heavy rain — as much as 7 inches — could spur life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in the Azores, an island chain 850 miles west of Portugal that's home to about 250,000 people.

A dangerous storm surge is also expected to bring significant coastal flooding to the islands. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Hurricanes often strengthen over warm water, and Alex's development was spurred on by water that is record warm for this time of year, about 72 to 77 degrees, said Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters.

"The unusually warm waters for Alex were due, in part, to the high levels of global warming that brought Earth its warmest year on record in 2015," he said. "Global warming made Alex's formation much more likely to occur."

Alex's formation officially kicks off a new year of storm names picked by the hurricane center. The next storms will be named Bonnie, Colin and Danielle.