The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has broken a 112-year record — and not in a good way for forecasters who expected a normal year.

No hurricane has formed through late September, the latest in a season without one since 1914. About six named storms have formed, but none reached the 74 mph needed for hurricane strength.

The reason is a strong El Niño. It creates powerful wind shear — changes in wind speed and direction with height — that tears developing storms apart before they can organise.

Colorado State researcher Phil Klotzbach noted the last season this quiet this late was 1914. The season officially runs to November 30, so a storm could still form. The Pacific, meanwhile, stayed busy, with Typhoon Polo reaching Category 5.

El Nino warms Pacific waters and shifts wind patterns worldwide. For the Atlantic, that means stronger upper-level winds that shred storms. Forecasters say the quiet season is a reminder that forecasts are not destiny. Emergency officials stress that even a quiet season can produce one damaging landfall.