Michael Brennan Urges Prep as Hurricane Season 2026 Starts
Hurricane season 2026 began today in the Atlantic, and tens of millions are at risk from hurricanes in the coming weeks. Michael Brennan, the nation’s top hurricane forecaster, shared his top tips for managing the season as the risk period opened.
The start date matters because it marks the annual period when hurricane risk rises. Brennan’s guidance gives people a concrete step to take now rather than waiting for a storm to form.
Michael Brennan and the season start
Brennan’s advice arrives as the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1, 2026. For households in hurricane-prone areas, the practical shift is immediate: the risk window is now open, and preparation has to happen before a storm is on the map.
The scale of exposure is large. Tens of millions will be at risk from hurricanes in the coming weeks, making the opening of the season more than a calendar date for people living in vulnerable areas.
National Hurricane Center monitoring
Experts at the National Hurricane Center are currently monitoring two weather disturbances in the eastern Pacific. That gives forecasters one more moving piece to watch as the season begins, even while the Atlantic remains the focus of the main risk.
The June forecast calls for warmer-than-average weather from the Upper Midwest to the Intermountain West, dry conditions in the Northwest and Northeast, and rain across much of the South. An Omega block is currently gripping the weather, adding another layer to the early-season pattern.
June forecast and next steps
For readers in exposed areas, the immediate step is to treat today as the start of the response window, not the arrival of a storm. Brennan’s guidance points to preparation now, while the forecast shows widely different conditions across the country in early June.
The combination of an active season start, two disturbances in the eastern Pacific, and a broad June outlook means attention will stay on both hurricane preparation and changing weather patterns in the days ahead.
