MIAMI — The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is tracking no active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific or Central Pacific basins in its latest National Hurricane Center updates on Monday, with the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season entering its final four weeks.
The NHC's main page, refreshed early Monday (08:10 UTC), listed no named systems in any of the three basins it covers. The center's Atlantic tropical weather discussion was issued at 0615 UTC, and its Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific outlooks were published Sunday evening.
A season shaped by El Niño
Forecasters had expected a subdued year. In its initial May outlook, NOAA called for 8 to 14 named storms, 3 to 6 hurricanes and 1 to 3 major hurricanes, with a 55% chance of a below-normal season. A strong El Niño, which raises wind shear across the Atlantic and suppresses storm development, was the main reason. By August, NOAA's updated outlook raised the chance of a below-normal season to 75%, and the NHC's homepage still carries a notice that the agency maintains that below-normal prediction.
The season has largely lived up to the forecast. By the September 10 climatological peak, the Atlantic had accumulated an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) value of only about 4.4, roughly 7% of what a typical season produces by that point. Local meteorologists described the year as on track to be historically quiet.
Late-season highlights
The Atlantic did eventually wake up in autumn:
- Tropical Storms Fay and Gonzalo were active in late September. Gonzalo passed near the Cabo Verde Islands before turning away from them.
- Hurricane Isaias became the season's first hurricane on October 8, which tied the 1905 season for the latest first-hurricane date on record. After weakening, its post-tropical remnants brought a flash-flood threat to the Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic around October 11 before dissipating over West Virginia.
Earlier in the year, Arthur (June 17–18) left the season's heaviest toll, bringing life-threatening flooding to parts of the southeastern United States after it degenerated along the upper Texas coast.
Pacific activity winds down
In the Eastern Pacific, Hurricane Nolo reached Category 3 strength and crossed the International Date Line in early October, when the NHC issued its final advisory on the system. Most recently, the NHC was issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Vance in late October, which was producing winds near 35 mph west of Mexico's Pacific coast. The center now lists no active systems there.
New tools in 2026
The NHC introduced several changes this season aimed at communicating risk more clearly, including an experimental forecast cone drawn with ellipses rather than circles, expanded displays of inland warnings, and a refreshed mobile-friendly version of its website at hurricanes.gov/mobile. The center continues to publish its tropical weather outlooks four times a day, at 2 a.m., 8 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time, with special outlooks issued when a disturbance changes quickly.
What to expect through November 30
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through November 30, and storms can form outside those dates. Late-season development is typically limited to the western Caribbean and Gulf, or to systems that spin up off the Southeast coast. Even in a quiet year, forecasters stress that residents of hurricane-prone areas should keep their plans and supplies current and rely on official NHC products rather than social media rumors.
The latest forecasts, advisories and graphical outlooks are available at nhc.noaa.gov.
