Colorado State Forecasts 13 Named Storms for 2026 Hurricane Season
Colorado State University released its annual Atlantic hurricane forecast this week, projecting 13 named storms and 6 hurricanes for the 2026 season. The forecast arrives against an already elevated baseline: last month was the hottest March on record for the contiguous United States, by the widest margin ever recorded for any single month. A developing El Niño pattern could push temperatures further.
El Niño typically suppresses Atlantic hurricane activity by increasing wind shear — but when baseline sea surface temperatures are already this high, the suppression effect is partially offset. The models are working in territory with fewer historical analogs.
Six hurricanes out of 13 named storms is an above-average ratio. The more relevant number for any individual year is always landfall probability, which the forecast doesn’t capture. A season can produce 15 named storms and cause minimal damage if they stay at sea. It can produce 6 and be catastrophic if one of them makes landfall at peak intensity over a major metro.
The season officially begins June 1. Florida, Texas, and the Gulf Coast are already watching.