Preparedness remains the watchword for the upcoming Hurricane Season

Despite a below-normal season predicted for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season that officially commences on June 01, head of the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) has warned that people should not become complacent.

National Disaster Coordinator at the NaDMA, Dr Terrence Walters told The Grenadian Voice “Notwithstanding the below average forecast, we encourage people to prepare at all times. Preparedness should not be dependent on the forecast but you should be prepared at all times and not just for the hurricane season but for other hazards that can occur even during the hurricane season.”

These, he highlighted include volcanic eruptions, landslides, flood, earthquakes, tsunami etcetera, reiterating “It is important for people to be prepared to respond when any disaster occurs.”

Local Meteorologist Tricia Miller explained to The Grenadian Voice that an average season has 14.4 named storms, 7.2 hurricanes and 3.2 major hurricanes. Therefore, the Colorado State University is forecasting “13 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which published its outlook yesterday (May 21), predicts “a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season, and a 55% chance of a below-normal season” with “a total of 8-14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 3-6 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1-3 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher).”

Miller attributed this year’s forecast to the “strong El Niño event that is forecasted for 2026 so because of that, predictions will be below normal.”

The El Niño phenomenon is the significant warming of sea-surface temperatures, and according to NOAA “El Niño conditions tend to support less tropical storms and hurricanes, while warmer ocean temperatures and low winds support a more active year.”

Miller added that the “El Niño event in our region not only sees below normal activity during the hurricane season but also below normal rainfall totals.”

She however warned “below normal doesn’t mean tropical cyclones would not form, one cannot make landfall or we cannot get a major hurricane. It just means we expect less systems to form.”

NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham in a May 21 press release cautioned, “Although El Niño’s impact in the Atlantic Basin can often suppress hurricane development, there is still uncertainty in how each season will unfold. That is why it’s essential to review your hurricane preparedness plan now. It only takes one storm to make for a very bad season.”

Meanwhile, NaDMA which oversees disaster risk reduction, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery after natural hazards like hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, have been engaged in a series of training ahead of the hurricane season.

To test preparedness and strengthen Grenada’s emergency response capabilities, over the past weeks, the Agency staged the annual CARIBE WAVE exercise (a massive annual tsunami simulation drill) and the three-day Exercise Elevate 2026 to evaluate several emergency response functional areas such as shelter management, mass casualty management and emergency operations center management. 

Also, to build capacity for disaster preparedness and response, NaDMA along with its partners conducted a Drone Training Programme that saw 18 participants from agencies including NaDMA, GRENLEC, NAWASA, the Royal Grenada Police Force, and community district committees.

Dr Walters advised that the Agency along with stakeholder representatives would be hosting its annual televised programme discussing the forecast, preparedness measures, etc, on June 02.

The 2026 hurricane season officially ends November 30.

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