A water rescue boat moves in floodwaters at an apartment complex in Clearwater after Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, 2024. | Mike Stewart, AP
Published on March 26, 2026 at 11:10 am
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More than two months before the start of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the meteorological company AccuWeather on Wednesday predicted 11 to 16 named storms, with four to seven reaching hurricane strength.
Considered lower than the average in recent years, AccuWeather’s outlook predicts some tropical development before the June 1 start of the six-month season due to “exceptionally warm waters.”
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“Even if it’s expected to be a slightly below average hurricane season, we can still see major hits across the United States,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said in a release.
AccuWeather, one of several outfits that will release outlooks for the season, included in its forecast the potential for three to five of the named systems to directly affect the U.S.
Last year, the Atlantic produced 13 named storms, just meeting predictions of 13 to 19 storms. Also, the season had five hurricanes, with four reaching Category 3 and three reaching the most severe Category 5.
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None of them, though, made a direct landfall in Florida or the U.S.
READ MORE: Changes in store for 2026 hurricane forecasts
From 2022 to 2024, Florida took direct hits from six hurricanes, including four that were Category 3 or stronger.
The AccuWeather forecast includes the potential development of El Niño weather phenomenon conditions, which would limit tropical activity to near or below historical average levels, especially in the second half and climatological peak of the season.
