Atlantic hurricane season forecast 2026

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 with this prediction update coming from AccuWeather:

A developing El Niño will be one of the biggest forces shaping the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, and is one reason the number of storms could be near to below historical averages. Still, hurricane preparedness is critical as multiple storms could make landfall in the United States this season.

The 2025 hurricane season was close to the historical average in terms of the number of storms, but it featured three Category 5 hurricanes, just one shy of the all-time record of four. Additionally, most of the tropical activity occurred after Sept. 10, the climatological peak of the hurricane season.

“It’s very important that everybody from South Texas all the way to Maine prepares equally for each and every hurricane season, regardless of what the official forecast is,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. “Even if it’s expected to be a slightly below average hurricane season, we can still see major hits across the United States.” – Full report