CSU Forecasts Below-Normal 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season

0:00It's April 9th, this is Tampa Bay News, today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Colorado State University just dropped their outlook for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane season, calling it somewhat below normal, therefore casting 13 names storms, six hurricanes, and just two major ones at Category 3 or higher. The main driver here is a shift from a weak Linina to a moderate or strong El Nino by peak season. That El Nino pumps up vertical wind shear in the Atlantic, tearing apart storms before they organize. Plus, it cools key areas where hurricanes form. Landfall odds look lower than average, too, with a 32% chance for the whole U.S. coast, 15% for the east coast, including Florida, 20% for the Gulf from Florida's Panhandle to Texas, and 35% in the Caribbean. For context, last year's Hurricane Melissa slammed Jamaica as a Category 5, racking up nearly $9 billion in damage in 95.

1:00Dets. Forecasters compare 2026 to past seasons, like 2006 and 2009, which varied a lot, showing high uncertainty this. Early, CSU's been doing these forecasts since 1984, started by the late Bill Gray. They'll update on June 10th, July 8th, in August 5th, as the season kicks off June 1st through November 30th. So stay tuned for how it evolves.