If you're among those tempted to take hurricane season a little more lightly this year because early seasonal outlooks call for fewer-than-average storms, weather and disaster experts would like a word.
They fear these attention-grabbing forecasts for hurricane season may lead to a false sense of comfort and a lack of preparation.
"It doesn't matter what the seasonal outlook says, it takes only one storm," said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. Reinhart is among the center's specialists, urging people to pay no attention to social media pundits commenting on the seasonal outlooks who emphasize the potential dimming effect El Niño can have on would-be storms.
Hurricane outlooks for 2026 do show conditions trending toward a normal or below-normal season, thanks to a potential El Niño in the Pacific Ocean, but that's not the whole story, forecasters said. The number of storms may be unremarkable, but strong storms can still rapidly appear and intensify, as they have done in the past.
Even in years with El Niño, "you can still have very impactful Atlantic hurricanes," Michael Brennan, hurricane center director, told USA TODAY. "The risk is there every year for hurricane impacts regardless of what any seasonal forecast looks like."
