The Atlantic hurricane season officially started on June 1, 2026.  The hurricane season began quietly.  No tropical depressions, tropical storms or hurricanes were present over the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, or the Gulf of Mexico.  No tropical cyclones are expected to form over the Atlantic Ocean during the next few days.  Whenever a tropical storm does form over the Atlantic Ocean, the first name on the list will be Arthur.

Fewer tropical storms and hurricanes are expected to form over the Atlantic Ocean this year.  A strong El Niño pattern is expected to develop over the Equatorial Pacific Ocean during the next few months.  Much warmer than normal Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) are expected to be present over the eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean during the hurricane season.

The warmer Sea Surface Temperatures associated with an El Niño produce more rising motion and convection.  The stronger rising motion begins to move toward the east when it reaches the upper troposphere where it produces stronger westerly winds.  The stronger westerly winds blow over the Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean.  Those stronger westerly winds cause more vertical wind shear.  More vertical wind shear makes it more difficult for tropical storms and hurricanes to develop.