Divergent 2026 Hurricane Activity in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
What happened
The 2026 Pacific hurricane season has experienced high levels of activity, while the Atlantic basin has recorded no hurricanes to date.
Scientists attribute the contrasting storm activity in the two oceans to an exceptionally strong El Niño event.
Why it matters
The current disparity in hurricane frequency highlights the significant influence of El Niño on global weather patterns, which can shift storm intensity and distribution between ocean basins.
Context
The 2026 Pacific hurricane season, which runs from May 15 to November 30, has already produced three Category 5 hurricanes, tying records set in 1994, 2002, and 2018.
Notable storms during the 2026 Pacific season include Hurricane Lala, which directly hit the Big Island of Hawaii, and Hurricane Lowell, which directly impacted Kauaʻi County.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially spans from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity typically occurring around September 10.
Sources 3 sources
This briefing cites 1 publisher across 1 detected independent reporting stream.
- Connecticut Public The Pacific is churning with hurricanes. The Atlantic is quiet. Blame El Niño
- Wikipedia Atlantic hurricane season Background reference · Wikipedia text used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Wikipedia 2026 Pacific hurricane season Background reference · Wikipedia text used under CC BY-SA 4.0.