#Five tropical storms in Atlantic for first time in nearly 50 years

There are five tropical storms churning in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in nearly 50 years — amid so much violent weather that meteorologists will likely have to turn to the Greek alphabet for more names.

Tropical Storm Sally has been joined by Paulette, Rene, Teddy and Vicky in the Atlantic, the first time since 1971 that five such weather phenoms are whirling around there at the same time.

Sally is the most dangerous to the US at the moment, although Paullette could produce “life-threatening’’ swells to the Bahamas and southern US, the National Hurricane Center says.

Meteorologists have already gone through 20 of the 21 possible names on the tropical-storm list — and after one more, it will be time for the Greek alphabet.

The final English tropical-storm name this season would be Wilfred.

The last time the Greek alphabet had to be used for tropical storms was in 2005, when there were 27 of the wicked whirls.