2026 Hurricane Season Storm Names Released
The World Meteorological Organization has finalized the Atlantic name list for 2026. Forecasters expect El Niño to replace La Niña by late summer 2026. The storm names for 2026 were released ahead of the season.
Names set for the Atlantic season
The Atlantic hurricane season opens on June 1, 2026. The WMO, based in Switzerland, selects names years in advance under strict criteria. Names are retired and replaced if a storm causes extreme damage or fatalities.
- Arthur
- Bertha
- Cristobal
- Dolly
- Edouard
- Fay
- Gonzalo
- Hanna
- Isaias
- Josephine
- Kyle
- Leah
- Marco
- Nana
- Omar
- Paulette
- Rene
- Sally
- Teddy
- Vicky
- Wilfred
How storm naming developed
Forecasters once identified storms by position, which proved confusing. The United States began using female names in 1953. By 1979, lists alternated male and female names in alphabetical order.
Storm intensity and seasonal averages
A system is named a tropical storm when sustained winds reach 39 mph. It becomes a hurricane once sustained winds reach 74 mph.
From 1991 to 2020, an average year produced about 14 tropical storms. Roughly seven of those storms became hurricanes.
El Niño and the 2026 outlook
Many seasonal forecasts are likely to call for a near- to below-average season. That outlook reflects the expected El Niño influence in late summer 2026. El Niño conditions typically reduce Atlantic hurricane activity.
Eastern Pacific and other basins
The eastern Pacific hurricane season begins on May 15 each year. Those storms seldom directly impact the U.S. mainland. They more often affect Mexico’s west coast.
- Amanda
- Boris
- Cristina
- Douglas
- Elida
- Fausto
- Genevieve
- Hernan
- Iselle
- Julio
- Karina
- Lowell
- Marie
- Norbert
- Odalys
- Polo
- Rachel
- Simon
- Trudy
- Vance
- Winnie
- Xavier
- Yolanda
- Zeke
A separate list covers central Pacific storms that can reach Hawaii. Other regions maintain independent naming lists for typhoons and tropical cyclones.
Filmogaz.com will follow seasonal forecasts and name retirements through the year. Expect updates as conditions evolve and new forecasts are released.
