International News: Super El Niño linked to unusually quiet Atlantic Hurricane season

By Zoila Palma: The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is shaping up to be one of the quietest on record, with no hurricanes having formed so far.

The unusual inactivity is being linked largely to a strengthening El Niño climate pattern, which is producing atmospheric conditions that make it harder for hurricanes to develop and strengthen.

El Niño typically brings increased wind shear over the Atlantic, disrupting the organized circulation hurricanes need to form.

Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University said wind shear in key hurricane-development areas has been above average this year and, since July, has reached its strongest levels on record since measurements began in 1979. Scientists had earlier predicted that El Niño could limit the 2026 season to just three to six hurricanes.

Other factors have also contributed to the subdued Atlantic activity, including Saharan dust that crossed the Atlantic during the summer. The dry, unstable air associated with the dust can suppress tropical development, while a warmer atmosphere may also have increased stability and weakened the conditions needed to fuel hurricanes.

While the Atlantic has remained unusually quiet, the eastern Pacific has experienced a much more active season.

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