SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — Are you ready for Hurricane Season! With just under 60 days until the official start, experts at Colorado State University (CSU) are already making predictions for the upcoming season.
Dr. Phil Klotzbach presented CSU’s initial forecast at the 2026 National Tropical Weather Conference on South Padre Island. CSU has issued an average outlook for 2026 in its April hurricane outlook.
The forecast calls for 13 named storms. Of those, six will be hurricanes, two of those being major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger).
Dr. Klotzbach said the near-average numbers are a result of the transition from La Niña to El Niño during the late-summer months. As of April 9, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says La Niña is officially over! As the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) enters a neutral phase, the transition has begun!
La Niña tends to favor hurricane development; El Niño tends to suppress hurricane development. La Niña results in less wind shear across the Atlantic Basin— something that shreds hurricanes apart. As El Niño takes shape, wind shear tends to increase, making it more difficult for storms to develop.
This university will issue the next seasonal forecast in June.