Zeta again strengthened into a tropical storm on Thursday and could break the record for the storm lasting the longest into January since record keeping began in 1851. Zeta is the 27th and final named storm in a tumultuous, record-breaking hurricane season that officially ended more than a month ago.

Vince began to break down on Monday over the cooler waters of the far eastern Atlantic, less than a day after making this hurricane season the second-busiest on record, forecasters said. The former Category One hurricane weakened to a tropical storm with top sustained winds near 96,6kph, said forecasters at the National Hurricane Centre.

Hurricane Alpha? Tropical Storm Epsilon? Before this year’s frantic Atlantic hurricane season is out, television forecasters and coastal residents may have to break out their Greek dictionaries. There are only four names left for tropical storms and hurricanes this year: Stan, Tammy, Vince and Wilma.