El Niño Could Quiet the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Forecasts

NOAA forecasts a below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season with 8–14 named storms, 3–6 hurricanes, and up to 3 major hurricanes, driven largely by the anticipated return of El Niño which tends to increase upper-atmosphere wind shear and suppress activity, though warmer-than-normal Atlantic waters could still fuel systems. The season runs June 1–November 30, with the first tropical storm typically forming in late June and the first hurricane around mid-August.