We’re more than three and a half months into the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, and it has been one of the quietest starts in decades. Five named storms have formed since June: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, and Edouard. None has strengthened into a hurricane. That’s now the latest date on record the Atlantic has gone without producing one, surpassing the previous mark of September 17, 1941.
A strong El Niño is driving the pattern. It’s increasing wind shear across the basin, and that shear is tearing storms apart before they can organize. NOAA’s National Hurricane Center data shows the season has already produced fewer named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes than the 30-year average for this point in the calendar.
That’s good news. It’s not a reason to stop paying attention.
The season runs through November 30. NOAA’s outlook still calls for 7 to 13 named storms this year, with 2 to 6 reaching hurricane strength. We’re only five storms into that range.
Tropical systems don’t need hurricane-strength winds to cause real damage inland. NOAA has pointed to inland rainfall as a major source of damage from tropical storms, even ones that never reach hurricane strength. That’s worth remembering for a county that doesn’t sit on the coast.
As of this morning, the National Hurricane Center is tracking a disturbance several hundred miles southwest of the Azores, with a 30 percent chance of development over the next week. A second system near Bermuda that had drawn attention earlier this week has weakened and is no longer expected to develop.
Calhoun County has been fortunate so far, but conditions can change quickly. Use this quiet stretch to take two simple steps:
1. Sign up for Calhoun CodeRED. It’s the county’s primary emergency notification system and the fastest way to get alerts directly to your phone. Registration takes a few minutes.
calhounema.com/calhoun-codered-signup
2. Bookmark calhounema.com. Check it regularly for current OPCON status, active advisories, and preparedness resources through the end of November.
More than two months remain on the hurricane calendar. Use the quiet weather to get your household ready, not to let your guard down.
Stay safe, Calhoun County.
Sources:
National Hurricane Center, Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook, 8:00 a.m. EDT, Sept. 18, 2026: nhc.noaa.gov
NOAA, “NOAA Maintains Prediction for Below-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season,” Aug. 6, 2026: noaa.gov
CBS News, “The Atlantic Ocean just broke a 60-year record for the longest stretch without a hurricane,” Sept. 15, 2026: cbsnews.com
Gizmodo, “This Atlantic Hurricane Season Could Break a Record That Has Stood for 175 Years,” Sept. 17, 2026: gizmodo.com
Newsweek, “Atlantic Hurricane Season Nears Record as El Niño Keeps Storms at Bay,” Sept. 2026: newsweek.com
