East Pacific Hurricane Season off to Quick Start?

*** UPDATE MAY 8, 2014: 9:30AM - STRONG UPPER-LEVEL WINDS HAVE CAUSED THIS DISTURBANCE TO BECOME LESS ORGANIZED THIS MORNING...AND DEVELOPMENT INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS BECOMING LESS LIKELY. ***

'Tis the season! The National Hurricane Center in Miami is monitoring what is very likely to be the first named storm of the season in the east Pacific; and right on time, too. The season kicks off May 15th.

It's kind of a head scratcher to be talking about a possible tropical depression or storm while ice still covers 33% of Lake Superior---by far the largest . . .