NOAA predicts below-normal hurricane activity

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season on Thursday, May 21. Like two earlier released forecasts from other sources, NOAA expects that the season will see below-normal storm activity. The NOAA forecast translates into a total of eight to 14 named seasonal storms with winds of 39 mph or higher, 39 mph being the defining threshold for a tropical storm. Of the eight to 14 named storm