Be Prepared: 2026 Hurricane Season Is Here
Texas A&M University at Galveston Researchers Share Tactics to Weather Hurricane Season and Build Resilience
June 1 marks the start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. The season runs through November.
For residents along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the arrival of hurricane season means a more frequent check of weather forecasts and a hope that any hurricanes that do form happen far away from them.
While the arrival of hurricane season can lead to increased stress and worry, there is a bit of potential good news for those who are in hurricane prone areas.
For 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates a 55 percent chance of a below-normal season (only 10 percent chance of above-normal). The prediction of a below average season is due in part to the formation of a strong, or Super, El Niño.
Strong El Niño conditions increase upper-level winds across the tropical Atlantic—known as wind shear—which disrupts storm development and makes it difficult for hurricanes to organize and intensify. As a result, super El Niño years are often associated with below-average Atlantic hurricane activity. Although a below average season is in the forecast it does not mean that there is no risk.
“Below-normal predictions can create a false sense of security,” warned Dr. Sam Brody, Director, Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas (IDRT) and Regents Professor, Marine and Coastal Environmental Science College of Marine Sciences & Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston. “Forecasts give us useful planning information, but it’s critical to remember that they’re predictions, not guarantees.”
Another important factor to remember is that forecasters often adject their forecast throughout the hurricane season as conditions warrant.
Currently, NOAA’s National Weather Service is forecasting eight to 14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) with three to six of those becoming hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including up to three major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher). According to NOAA, an average season has 14 named storms with seven hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
By comparison, the 2025 season had 13 named storms, with five becoming hurricanes and four of those major, but for the first time in a decade, none of the hurricanes made landfall in the U.S., according to NOAA.
While the peak of hurricane activity for the Galveston area typically falls between August and October, the season runs through Nov. 30, and preparation is key.
“Hurricane preparedness is about being proactive, not reacting to headlines,” Brody said. “Whether the season is below or above normal, readiness remains our strongest defense against disaster, so preparing your home, family and communities today can make the ultimate difference when severe weather does arrive.”
If a hurricane is expected to impact the Texas Gulf Coast the following steps can help weather the storm:
Make a Plan
Hurricanes can develop and shift rapidly, so having a plan in place is essential. Discuss and decide:
- How will you receive emergency notifications?
- Where will you shelter?
- What is your evacuation route?
- Is your emergency supply kit ready to go?
Build an Emergency Supply Kit
Your kit should be ready before any storm develops. A properly stocked kit should include:
- Non-perishable food and drinking water
- Flashlights and batteries
- Portable radio
- Medications
- Bedding and pillows
- Chargers and electronics
- Pet supplies (if applicable)
Ensure your kit can support you for at least 72 hours, as emergency response times may vary.
Once a storm is approaching, stay connected to emergency alerts and follow any and all evacuation orders. Being prepared and staying alert are keys to hurricane season regardless of how many hurricanes are predicted. It only takes one storm hitting a particular community to make for a bad season. Knowing what to do when a storm comes is one of the best ways to weather hurricane season.
For communities that are impacted by a storm, how quickly they bounce back is often determined by the resources and planning that occurred well before the hurricane made landfall. Preparing communities to be resilient is at the heart of the IDRT’s mission. The idea for the IDRT came out of recommendations to the state for a permanent agency to provide sound hazard and disaster analytics to decision makers.
“The IDRT is paving the way to make data more accessible to decision makers, elected officials and other stakeholders on various levels of local, county, regional, and state government,” said Dr. Ashley Ross, Associate Professor, Marine and Coastal Environmental Science. “The IDRT is meeting communities where they’re at in terms of their needs for understanding the hazards they face and then how to reduce that risk. Across the state, we’re seeing better planning, and better data use on things like the first statewide flood plan. And I think that those things will continue and be enabled by the institute.”
Hurricane season will continue to arrive every year. Thanks to the efforts of the IDRT and Texas A&M University at Galveston, communities will be better prepared and more resilient to face whatever Hurricane season brings.
