The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially began today, June 1, and while forecasters expect a quieter-than-average year, meteorologists are pointing to several areas where storms could still develop this month.
The Gulf of Mexico is considered the most favorable area for tropical development in June, along with the northern Caribbean Sea and the southwestern Atlantic off the southeastern U.S. coast. Systems that form during the month tend to track northeastward.
Despite the season’s official start, June is typically a quiet month overall. Tropical systems generally struggle to develop, and those that do tend to remain disorganized or reach only minimal hurricane strength.
Since 1950, only four hurricanes have made landfall in the United States during June, all along the Gulf Coast. Hurricanes Bonnie and Agnes struck as Category 1 storms, while Audrey and Alma intensified into major hurricanes before landfall.
Early forecasts this year call for near- or below-average tropical cyclone activity, with a developing El Niño cited as the primary driver. El Niño conditions typically suppress Atlantic storm development, though forecasters note that it is just one of many factors influencing seasonal outlooks.
Meteorologists caution that even a slow season carries risk. It only takes one storm to turn a quiet hurricane season into a memorable one. The season runs through November 30.
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