By Clint Thompson
Before 2025, the likelihood that the Southeast region could experience a tropical season without a tropical storm or major hurricane seemed unfathomable; especially on the heels of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in 2024. But yet, the region dodged a major storm.
The likelihood that the region could go through 2026 without the impact of a major storm seems, again, highly unlikely. But yet, that scenario could play out for a second straight year, especially amid a strong El Niño, says Pam Knox, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension agricultural climatologist.
“I’m not sure it’s ever happened in the record. I mean, the last time we had a year without any hurricanes was 2015. And so it seems unlikely just because based on past performance that we’re going to have another year with no hurricanes, but it could happen,” Knox said.
According to Colorado State University’s final forecasts for this tropical season, it is projecting nine named storms, four hurricanes and one major hurricane. That’s compared to the average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes; and 13 named storms in 2025 with five hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
This year’s nine named storms include Tropical Storm Arthur, which impacted Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi; and Tropical Storm Bertha, which skirted the Gulf Coast with minimal impacts.