What Alabamians Need to Know About the 2026 Hurricane Outlook

With hurricane season just a few months away, The Weather Channel and the Colorado State University (CSU) and the Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team (TC-RAMS) have both released their 2026 outlooks.

Get our free mobile app

2025 Recap

An above-average year defined the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, producing 13 named storms, including 5 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. Hurricanes Erin, Humberto, and Melissa intensified to category 5 strength.

Colorado State University Hurricane Season Outlook

The CSU team is anticipating that the “2026 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have somewhat below-normal activity.”

13 Named Storms

55 Named Storm Days

6 Hurricanes

20 Hurricane Days

2 Major Hurricanes

5 Major Hurricane Days

Hurricane Season Predictions from The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel has now weighed in with its own outlook. While the numbers differ slightly, both forecasts agree on one key point: the upcoming season is expected to bring fewer storms than average. Contributing to the “deciding factors to El Niño and Atlantic SSTs.”

12 Named Storms

6 Hurricanes

2 Hurricanes Category 3+

The Townsquare Media Weather Center will continue to closely track the upcoming hurricane season, monitoring developments and their potential impact on Alabama.

Mary K. – Weather Forecaster