A strangely quiet hurricane season is still no reason to relax

WBTV reported on September 29, 2026 that the Atlantic had gone about four months without a hurricane, the longest wait in the satellite era. Ecoticias later reported that the season had 10 named storms and one hurricane as of October 30.

What happened

NBC 6 South Florida reported that the season reached its climatological peak in September with five named storms and no hurricanes. Accumulated Cyclone Energy was 4.4, about 7% of the typical level. Ecoticias reports that NOAA's August 6 update raised its odds of a below-normal season to 75%. As of October 30, no storms were active.

What it means for your home

A below-normal season still needs a ready kit. Isaias, the season's only hurricane as of October 30, is a reminder that a quiet season total does not tell any one household whether a storm will reach it.

What to do this week

• Replace expired water, batteries and medicines while the season is calm.
• Test your crank or battery weather radio and check that it picks up alerts.
• Make sure every family member knows where the storm kit is kept.
• Compare your kit against your family list, and add what is missing.
• Agree on where you would go if officials order an evacuation.

Use the NOAA weather radio setup guide to make sure alerts reach you when the next storm forms.