The last hurricane to form in the Atlantic was Hurricane Melissa on October 13, 2025, 352 days ago. So what's responsible for this hurricane drought?

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has gone completely hurricane-free so far, setting historic records for inactivity driven by a strong El Niño.

If the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season ends without producing a single hurricane, it would mark only the third such season on record, joining 1914 and 1917. It would also be the first time this happened in the satellite era, which began in 1966.

El Niño can suppress Atlantic hurricanes by creating stronger winds high in the atmosphere that tear storms apart. On the flip side, El Niño warms the tropical Pacific Ocean and often creates more favorable conditions for hurricanes to form and strengthen.