How active has the 2026 hurricane season been?
As of August 17, there have been three tropical storms and zero hurricanes in 2026. In the Atlantic Ocean, tropical storms and hurricanes are the most dangerous designations of storms that are collectively known as tropical cyclones. The average number of such storms per year for the prior decade (2016 to 2025) was 18. That’s the highest 10-year average on record, based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data dating back to 1851.
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18
Storms are categorized primarily by wind speed. Tropical storms have maximum speeds of 39 to 73 mph. Hurricanes are on a five-part scale, in which category 3 or higher is considered a “major hurricane.” Classification is as follows:
- Tropical depression: less than 38 mph
- Tropical storm: 39 to 73 mph
- Category 1 hurricane: 74 to 95 mph
- Category 2: 96 to 110 mph
- Category 3: 111 to 129 mph
- Category 4: 130 to 156 mph
- Category 5: 157 or more mph
So far in 2026, three tropical storms and zero hurricanes have formed over the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. All occurred during the official Atlantic hurricane season, which is considered June 1 to November 30. There were 12 tropical storms in all of 2025. A total of five reached hurricane strength winds, and four of those were classified as major hurricanes.
So far during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, 3 storms reaching tropical storm strength have formed.
Storms grouped by year and month of start, through August 17, 2026
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NOAA has tracked the path of each Atlantic Ocean cyclone using various types of sources, including satellite data, aircraft reconnaissance, and ship and newspaper accounts (especially for earlier years, going back to 1851.)
The busiest year on record was 2020, when 30 storms reached tropical storm status. During that year, there were 14 hurricanes, seven of which were considered major hurricanes.
On average, 18 storms reaching at least tropical storm status took shape in the Atlantic Ocean every year between 2016 to 2025, the highest 10-year average on record.
In 2020, 30 storms in the Atlantic Ocean reached at least tropical storm strength, the most of any year on record.
Atlantic Ocean storms by type, 1851 to 2026
Even without making landfall, a storm can still bring dangerous winds to coastal areas. So far in 2026, two storms have brought tropical-storm-force winds to the North American coastline: Arthur in June and Bertha in July.
In 2026, tropical-storm-force winds have reached US soil two times.
Wind swath by storm system, as of August 17, 2026
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
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USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.