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El Niño Cuts 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Forecast to Nine Storms

7/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

El Niño drives the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season toward the lowest named-storm count in a decade.
Colorado State University expects nine named storms, four hurricanes and one major hurricane.
AccuWeather trimmed its range to eight-to-fourteen storms, down from eleven-to-sixteen, as El Niño strengthens.
The revised outlook lowers U.S. major-hurricane landfall odds to 17% from a typical 43%.
Long Island officials are testing communications and prepositioning supplies despite the reduced forecast.

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Story summary

El Niño drives the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season toward the lowest named-storm count in a decade.
Colorado State University expects nine named storms, four hurricanes and one major hurricane.
AccuWeather trimmed its range to eight-to-fourteen storms, down from eleven-to-sixteen, as El Niño strengthens.
The revised outlook lowers U.S. major-hurricane landfall odds to 17% from a typical 43%.
Long Island officials are testing communications and prepositioning supplies despite the reduced forecast.