El Niño may reduce storm numbers, but one hurricane is all it takes

Ajouté : 2026-06-05

[00:00:01]El Nino could become one of the biggest factors shaping the 2026 hurricane season. But what exactly is El Nino and why does it matter so much? Fox 10 hit the streets to hear what folks are saying about the climate pattern.

[00:00:14]Meteorologist Nicholas Herboso explains how El Nino works and why even a below average hurricane season can still bring impacts to the Gulf Coast.

[00:00:23]>> Yes, El Nino, Leninia. I know they have to do with the warm weather, cold weather in a nutshell. Have you ever heard of El Nino?

[00:00:32]>> Pass.

[00:00:33]>> That's okay.

[00:00:34]>> While many people may not know exactly what El Nino is, it could play a major role in shaping the 2026 hurricane season. Multiple organizations are pointing to El Nino development this year as one reason forecasts are calling for a near or slightly below average Atlantic hurricane season. But what exactly is El Nino and why does it matter so much during hurricane season?

[00:01:00]El Nino begins thousands of miles away from the Gulf Coast in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. During El Nino, the trade winds weaken leading to warmer sea surface temperatures across this region of the Pacific. This leads to thunderstorm development in this region that alters the wind patterns across the region. Uh one thing that it creates is wind shear over the Atlantic basin. This the area where hurricanes develop.

[00:01:26]Hurricanes and wind shear don't mix. So weaker storms are expected in the Atlantic basin because of that wind shear. This season something special is happening. You might have heard of the term super El Nino. Well, that's not an official term, but this year we are seeing uh will likely see significantly warmer than average temperatures in this region of the Pacific. So a strong El Nino that could have impacts on the Atlantic hurricane season. But reminder, just because El Nino might reduce the number of storms in the Atlantic basin, it only takes one to cause issues for us.

[00:02:00]>> Hey, a below average year means less storms. And so that's a good thing, right? Well, it can be a slow year, but if we get a storm up here in the greater Alabama Gulf Coast area, then it's a problem.

[00:02:12]>> And that's the important reminder with every hurricane season forecast. A seasonal outlook cannot tell us exactly where storms will go months in advance.

[00:02:22]Now is the time for you to review your hurricane plan, know your evacuation zone, and make sure you have trusted sources of weather information before the hurricane season begins. Nicholas Ceroso, Fox 10 News.