Ahead of the 2026 hurricane season, another storm name was retired by scientists after a Category 5 hurricane devastated Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean in 2025. Melissa will no longer be ... Last year, the forecast predicted 17 named storms.

Understanding the Context

“The team predicts that 2026 hurricane activity will be about 75% of the average season from 1991–2020. By comparison, 2025’s hurricane activity was ... NOLA.com: After hurricane experts retire Melissa, see list of storm names for upcoming 2026 Atlantic season After hurricane experts retire Melissa, see list of storm names for upcoming 2026 Atlantic season Orlando Sentinel: Up to 5 storms predicted to impact US in AccuWeather hurricane season forecast Up to 5 storms predicted to impact US in AccuWeather hurricane season forecast Charlotte Observer: Hurricane experts make forecast for 2026 season. There’s a change from last year Hurricane experts make forecast for 2026 season.

Key Insights

There’s a change from last year