Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins With Below-Normal Forecast

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins today, with forecasters predicting a below-normal year for tropical storm activity across the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting between eight and 14 named storms during the six-month season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Of those, three to six are expected to strengthen into hurricanes, with one to three reaching major hurricane status as Category 3 storms or stronger.

NOAA has assigned a 55 per cent chance of a below-normal season, a 35 per cent chance of a near-normal season and a 10 per cent chance of an above-normal season. Forecasters say the expected development of El Niño conditions could help suppress tropical cyclone formation across the Atlantic basin.

Despite the quieter outlook, officials continue to urge residents in hurricane-prone areas to prepare for potential impacts.

The World Meteorological Organization maintains six rotating lists of storm names that are reused every six years unless a name is retired because of a particularly deadly or costly storm. The 2026 list is largely the same one used in 2020, with Leah replacing the retired name Laura.

The names designated for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season are:

Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

Storms receive names once they reach tropical-storm strength, with sustained winds of at least 63 kilometres per hour. Names are assigned sequentially as storms develop throughout the season.

The Atlantic hurricane season typically reaches its peak between mid-August and mid-October.