You might remember forecasters warning that 2026 would bring a āhyperactiveā Atlantic hurricane season, with predictions of at least 25 named storms. Yet more than three months into the season, not a single hurricane has formed, marking the longest stretch without one since record-keeping began in 1950.
According to meteorologists, 103 days have now passed since the season officially started without the appearance of a full-fledged hurricane, breaking a 60-year record for inactivity. This is especially striking because the season has already passed its historical peak, the period when the Atlantic typically sees its most intense storm activity.
Scientists point to the influence of El NiƱo, the climate pattern marked by warmer-than-usual surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which tends to suppress hurricane formation in the Atlantic by increasing wind shear that disrupts storm development. This appears to be counteracting other conditions that had fueled predictions of a busy season, such as warm Atlantic waters.
The unusual lull comes as Colombia’s national weather agency, the Ideam, has also reported unusual temperature swings this September, with extreme daytime heat paired with unusually cold early mornings, part of a broader pattern of shifting weather conditions across the region.
Curious how forecasters are explaining this historic pause? Read the full story at El Tiempo.
Source: FenĆ³meno de El NiƱo rompe un rĆ©cord de 60 aƱos en el ocĆ©ano AtlĆ”ntico (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: anttilipponen, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).