The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1. Now is the time to prepare.

Predictions are for a "below-normal" hurricane season, but officials warn Florida residents should always be prepared.

Time is ticking down to the start of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season and NOAA’s first forecast for it is finalized.

The official start of the 2026 tropical storm and hurricane season is right around the corner, and many forecasters are predicting a year with below normal named storms and hurricanes. The latest information from NOAA’s National Weather Service is predicting a 35% chance of a near-normal season with only a 10% chance of named storms being above average.

Forecasters with NOAA’s National Weather Service are predicting a below-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, 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.

RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE. THE OFFICIAL START OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON IS STILL ABOUT TWO WEEKS AWAY, BUT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER JUST ISSUED ITS FIRST TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK. METEOROLOGIST BRIAN SLOCUM JOINS US IN STUDIO WITH WHAT IT SHOWS.