These Are The 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Names

The World Meteorological Organization has released the official list of storm names for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1.

Among the 21 names slated for use this year are Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred. If conditions align, you could soon be hearing about Tropical Storm Dolly or Hurricane Hanna.

Storm names are selected years in advance by the Switzerland-based WMO under a strict rotating system. The lists are reused every six years, unless a storm is particularly deadly or costly. In those cases, the name is retired and replaced to avoid future confusion and sensitivity.

While most official forecasts for 2026 have not yet been issued, early climate signals point to the possible development of El Niño, a natural climate pattern that typically reduces hurricane activity in the Atlantic by increasing wind shear. As a result, some forecasters anticipate a near- to below-average season.

Historically, the Atlantic basin averages 14 named storms per year, with seven strengthening into hurricanes, based on data from 1991 to 2020. A tropical system receives a name once sustained winds reach 39 miles per hour and is classified as a hurricane at 74 miles per hour.

The naming system was introduced to simplify communication. Before storms were given names, forecasters identified them by coordinates, a method that often caused confusion, especially when multiple systems were active at once.