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Atlantic Hurricane Season Unusually Quiet Amidst Pacific Storm Surge
27 Sep
Summary
- Atlantic hurricane season is historically quiet, while the Pacific sees intense storm activity.
- El Nino and Ethiopian drought are contributing factors to the Atlantic's calm.
- Tropical waves originating in Africa play a key role in both basins' storm development.
The 2026 hurricane season presents a stark contrast between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. While the Atlantic has experienced a historically quiet period with only seven named tropical storms, the eastern and central Pacific basins are in hyperdrive, with 18 named storms and hurricanes already.
Meteorologists attribute much of this disparity to the influence of El Nino. However, factors beyond El Nino are at play in the Atlantic's calm. A significant drought in Ethiopia has reduced the formation of crucial tropical waves. These waves, which often originate over the Ethiopian Highlands, are vital for developing strong storms capable of surviving the Atlantic's harsh conditions.
Conversely, the Pacific has seen conditions ripe for storm development, including warm waters and low wind shear, leading to powerful hurricanes. Some storms that formed in the Pacific originated as tropical waves from Africa, traversing Central America before intensifying over favorable Pacific waters.
The Atlantic's accumulated cyclone energy is at its lowest since 1925, with record high vertical wind shear shredding developing systems. This quiet season in the Atlantic is statistically one of the calmest since reliable records began in 1950.
