The 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season
The state of Louisiana and its residents have the risk of being impacted by storms that brew during the Atlantic Hurricane season. The Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1st until November 30th each year. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) preliminary forecasts are showing below average activity (NOAA, 2026, para.1). This forecast must come as a relief to Louisiana's residents. The reason for the below average hurricane season is in part due to a weather phenomenon known as El Niño.
What is El Niño?
El Niño (also known as El Niño-Southern Oscillation) occurs in the South Pacific Ocean when weakened trade winds cannot push warm water to the west on the equator as they normally would so that cold water can surface. The warm water instead flows back towards the east. The unusual pooling of warm water leads to the death of plankton impacting the fish that feed on the plankton and those us that feed on the fish. El Niño's effect on fishing is how it was given it's name. Fishermen in South American noticed periods of unusually warm water which resulted in smaller catches of fish during the Christmas season every few years. The Spanish name translates into English as "little boy" in reference to the infant Jesus Christ the Christmas holiday celebrates.
Today scientists know that an El Niño event occurs approximately every two to seven years and its impact remains in effect for approximately one year. The unusual weather conditions caused by El Niño impact the forecast globally. During hurricane season, El Niño conditions lead to an increase of storm activity in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean and decrease of storm activity in the Atlantic Ocean. The decreased activity is due to the westerly trade winds disrupting the gathering of storms that might turn into a hurricane. The opposite weather pattern to El Niño is known as La Niña, though it is also sometimes called La Vieja.
Stay Safe this Hurricane Season
Even though reports show below normal activity, there is still a chance for bad weather during the 2026 Hurricane season. Keep yourself safe this season and double check your evacuation plans and kits. Visit getagameplan.org for guidance on emergency preparedness.
To learn more about El Niño check out the resources listed below!
References
Allaby, M. (Ed.). (2020). Oxford dictionary of geology & earth sciences. Oxford University Press.
Keim, B. D. and Muller, R. A. (2009) Hurricanes of the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana State University Press.
Levy, M. (2007). Why the wind blows: A history of weather and global warming. Upper Access, Inc.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2026, May 21). NOAA predicts below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-predicts-below-normal-2026-atlantic-hurricane-season
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2026, June 10). Understanding El Niño & ENSO. https://www.noaa.gov/understanding-el-nino
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2024, June 16). What are El Niño and La Niña. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html
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