All quiet on the waterfront: Hurricane season starts today

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service are predicting a below-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin and Gulf this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from today, June 1, to November 30, predicts a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season, and a 55% chance of a below-normal season.

Two competing forces are shaping the outlook: above-average Gulf water temperatures, which fuel storm development, and a developing El Niño, which increases wind shear and suppresses activity.

This will be our second year in a row of relative quiet. For the 2025 hurricane season, only one named storm – Barry – entered the Gulf, and no hurricanes. The odds of ripping through the alphabet of existing names and going into the Greek alphabet like we did in 2020.

This year’s 21 named storms are Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has a great website to help you plan for any storm-related contingencies this season. Check out texasready.gov, which is filled with helpful information on natural disasters and what to do when faced with one.

And of course always stay tuned to Woodlands Online for weather updates.