ORLANDO, Fla. – Colorado State University is sticking with its forecast for a quieter-than-average Atlantic hurricane season as the busiest stretch of the season gets underway.
In its final seasonal outlook released Wednesday, CSU continues to forecast 9 named storms, 4 hurricanes and 1 major hurricane for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The outlook is unchanged from the university’s July update and remains well below the seasonal average.
Forecasters say the main reason for the quieter outlook continues to be the high likelihood of a strong El Niño developing during the peak of hurricane season. This tends to increase wind shear, making it more difficult for storms to organize and strengthen.
While the overall forecast didn’t change, CSU did lower its landfall probabilities since the July outlook. As more of the hurricane season passes without much activity, the odds of a hurricane making landfall naturally decrease.
For Florida, CSU now estimates an 8% chance of a major hurricane making landfall along the U.S. East Coast, including the Florida Peninsula, and along the Gulf Coast.
Historically, the Atlantic hurricane season reaches its peak from the middle of August through October, meaning the most active part of the season is still ahead.
The News 6 Weather Team encourages everyone to use this time to review your hurricane plan, check your emergency supplies, and make sure you’re prepared before the next storm threatens.