NOAA releasing 2026 Atlantic hurricane season outlook

U.S. NOAA releasing 2026 Atlantic hurricane season outlook By Emily Mae Czachor Emily Mae Czachor News Editor Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek. Read Full Bio Emily Mae Czachor May 21, 2026 / 10:57 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, and as coastal residents watch the forecast and wait to see what nature has in store, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is releasing its outlook for the months ahead.As the federal agency responsible for weather and climate predictions, NOAA also encompasses the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center. Thursday's announcement is taking place the Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30, with activity typically peaking between August and October. That window tends to see the greatest number of storms develop, and a season's most intense storms often develop in those months, too.NOAA's outlook will be updated several times throughout the summer to reflect any changes in the forecast over time.A storm receives a name if its maximum sustained wind speeds reach at least 39 mph, and it becomes a hurricane if those winds climb to 74 mph. Hurricanes are classified as "major" when they reach wind speeds of at least 111 mph. That strength places them in Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale used to rate storm intensity.How accurate was NOAA's 2025 hurricane forecast?NOAA's hurricane predictions are generally fairly accurate, although not always exact. The agency's 2025 outlook originally predicted last year's hurricane season would include 13 to 19 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes. The forecast was adjusted slightly downward in August t...