Story highlights Storm activity tends to peak in September, as water warms and wind shear fades

Experts anticipated an above-normal 2017 hurricane season in the Atlantic

(CNN) Amid what feels like a never-ending barrage of storms, this year's hurricane season still has weeks to go before emerging from its "most active and dangerous" period.

With Hurricanes Jose and Maria churning in the Atlantic -- on the heels of Harvey, Irma and Katia -- the season marked its statistical peak on September 10 . Storm activity usually ramps up during the eight weeks that surround that date as key environmental factors align to fuel especially powerful storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which considers the period a hurricane "season within the season."

"There's nothing magical about the September 10 date," CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. "The peak of hurricane season really runs from the middle of August to the middle of October. But we really see the best of the conditions in early September, when the combination of ocean temperatures that have been baked by the long summer sun and the lack of wind shear that we commonly find in the late spring and early autumn leads to the greatest number of storms."

Peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic

The full hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. And until a few weeks ago, this season had been quite ordinary.