Forecasters are watching a tug-of-war between El Niño and record-warm ocean waters.
ATLANTA — Early outlooks for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season from Colorado State University point to a quieter year ahead—13 named storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. But researchers stress that even a “below-average” season can still deliver dangerous impacts, and it only takes one landfalling storm to change everything.
“A below-average forecast doesn’t mean you won’t get an impactful storm,” said Levi Silvers, a research scientist at CSU. “Even some of the most impactful storms we’ve had have been during quiet seasons.”
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