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Record Breaker? Atlantic Hurricane Season Awaits First Storm
8 Sep
Summary
- Hurricane Lowell is currently impacting Hawaii with strong winds and rain.
- The Atlantic hurricane season could set a record for the latest first hurricane.
- El Niño is contributing to the unusual quiet by increasing wind shear.
As of September 8, 2026, Hurricane Lowell is making landfall in Hawaii, bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall to the islands. Meanwhile, the Atlantic hurricane season is experiencing an unprecedented quiet period, with no tropical cyclone activity anticipated in the next seven days. This stillness has put the season on the verge of setting a record for the latest occurrence of the first Atlantic hurricane in the satellite era, potentially by September 11, 2026.
This prolonged calm is largely attributed to the effects of El Niño. El Niño typically increases wind shear in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, which disrupts or prevents the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones. Experts note that wind shear in the western tropical Atlantic and Caribbean has been exceptionally high this year, contributing to the below-normal activity.
Despite the quiet Atlantic, forecasters are monitoring three tropical waves, including one in the central Caribbean. The climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is September 10. Historically, the average date for the first Atlantic hurricane is August 11, and the first major hurricane forms by September 1. This season's unusual quiet stands in stark contrast to typical patterns, with the last hurricane-free season occurring over a century ago in 1914.
