No Hurricanes? Why the 2026 Hurricane Season Is Making History
The Atlantic hasn’t gone this long without a hurricane in more than a century. Here’s what El Niño has to do with it, and why this historic lull is a good reminder to review your insurance.
If the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has seemed unusually quiet, you’re not imagining it.
As of September 24, the Atlantic has produced six named storms but not a single hurricane. The last time the Atlantic made it this far into hurricane season without a hurricane was 1914, 112 years ago.
That’s particularly unusual considering we’ve already passed September 10, the climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane activity.
So, where are the hurricanes?
Why has the 2026 hurricane season been so quiet?
One major factor is El Niño.
El Niño is a climate pattern that begins with unusually warm water in the tropical Pacific but can influence weather patterns around the world. In the Atlantic, El Niño can increase vertical wind shear, which disrupts developing tropical systems and makes it harder for them to organize and strengthen into hurricanes.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released an update indicating that the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has a 75% chance of being below normal, with El Niño playing an important role.
To put this season in perspective, an average Atlantic hurricane season produces approximately 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
So far in 2026? Six named storms. Zero hurricanes. Zero major hurricanes.
Source: National Hurricane Center and NOAA Climate Prediction Center.
Is hurricane season over?
No. Atlantic hurricane season officially continues through November 30.
While we’ve passed the historical peak, hurricanes and tropical storms can still develop during the fall.
And there’s another important point: a quiet hurricane season doesn’t necessarily mean a safe hurricane season.
It only takes one storm affecting your home, business, or community to make it a significant season for you.
But this unusual lull does give homeowners something valuable: time to prepare before there’s a cone on the weather map.
What should you review while the weather is quiet?
Insurance often becomes top of mind when a storm is already approaching. That’s when questions start:
- Do I have flood insurance?
- What’s my hurricane or wind deductible?
- Is my home insured for what it would cost to rebuild today?
- What would happen to my business if a storm interrupted operations?
Those are much better questions to answer now.
One of the most important areas to understand is flood coverage. Standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is typically separate coverage.
And flood risk isn’t limited to beachfront properties.
According to FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, 99% of U.S. counties experienced a flood event between 1996 and 2022, and an average of 40% of National Flood Insurance Program claims come from outside high-risk flood areas. In other words, you don’t have to live in a high-risk flood zone to experience a flood.
Do you know what your insurance would cover?
You don’t need to become an insurance expert. That’s what your insurance advisor is for.
But there are a few things every homeowner should understand before severe weather arrives:
- Whether you have flood insurance
- Your standard and hurricane, named-storm, or wind deductibles
- Whether your current limits reflect today’s rebuilding costs
- How different types of water damage may be covered
- How to report a claim if severe weather affects your property
If you’re not sure about one or more of those, now may be the perfect time for a coverage review.
Don’t wait for the next storm to start asking questions.
Hopefully, the most memorable thing about the 2026 hurricane season will be just how quiet it was.
But hurricane season isn’t over, and the number of hurricanes that ultimately form isn’t necessarily the number that matters most.
What matters is whether you’re prepared for the storm that affects you.
Review Your Coverage Now
At Shepherd Insurance, our team can help you review your homeowners, flood, and business insurance policies, understand your deductibles, and identify potential coverage gaps before severe weather arrives.
Don’t wait until there’s a storm on the map to wonder what your insurance covers.
Talk with a Shepherd Insurance advisor today and let the quiet season work in your favor.
