El Niño linked to unusually quiet Atlantic hurricane season in September 2026
Original report:
The Atlantic had recorded no hurricanes by the Guardian’s September 2026 report, while the eastern Pacific had seen seven. The article explained how stronger wind shear associated with El Niño can hinder hurricane formation in the Atlantic.
The Atlantic had yet to record a hurricane in 2026 when the Guardian reported on 24 September, linking the unusually quiet season to a strengthening El Niño. Over the 30 years to 2020, the basin’s first hurricane arrived on average by 11 August. The previous latest first-hurricane date was 11 September, recorded in both 2002 and 2013.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration initially forecast three to six Atlantic hurricanes, against an average of seven, then revised that range to two to six in August. El Niño increases Atlantic wind shear, disrupting conditions needed for hurricanes to develop. Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific had recorded seven hurricanes.
The contrast between the two basins shows why El Niño’s effects cannot be described as uniformly stormier or calmer. The pattern involves warmer Pacific surface waters and weaker trade winds, but its Atlantic wind-shear effect inhibits hurricane development. The report’s totals were a seasonal snapshot, not a final accounting of activity.
Source
the Guardian — 24 September 2026
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