Atlantic hurricane season sets record with no hurricanes yet

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has set a record for the longest period without a hurricane forming, surpassing the previous satellite-era record held by Hurricanes Gustav in 2002 and Humberto in 2013. As of September 12, 2026, no hurricanes have developed in the Atlantic basin, a first in the modern record-keeping era that began in 1950. The National Hurricane Center confirmed the record on September 11, noting that the season has been exceptionally quiet. Only five named tropical storms-Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, and Edouard-have formed so far, all of which were relatively weak and short-lived. Overall hurricane activity, measured by a metric that accounts for storm number, strength, and duration, is at a post-1950 record low, at just 7% of normal for this time of year, according to Colorado State University hurricane expert Phil Klotzbach. Meteorologists attribute the historic lull to a powerful El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-average waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.