It's been a quiet few weeks in the tropics, but ahead of Sept. 10 — the statistical peak of hurricane season — weather experts are warning that record-high temperatures in the Gulf will require continued vigilance from Louisiana residents in the coming months.

Though the Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1, peak season is considered to be between mid-August and mid-October, a time when the Gulf of Mexico reaches its warmest temperatures and the winds that break up cyclones are at their lowest.

Currently, the Gulf's ocean heat content , a measure of surface temperatures combined with the temperatures of deeper waters, is at an all-time high, according to Brian McNoldy, a climate researcher at the University of Miami.

Though hot waters alone don't create hurricanes, they are a

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