The 20th Century started with below-average hurricane and tropical storm activity in the North Atlantic.  Tropical activity peaked in the 1930's and remained more active than average through the 1960's.  Activity during the 1970's and 1980's was below the long-term average.  The late 1990's saw a return to levels characteristic of the 1930's.  The 1886-1999 long-term average is 8.5 hurricanes and tropical storms per year.