Number of tropical storms in the Atlantic in 2026?
Short Answer
1. Market Behavior & Drivers
- Since last update (~51d): Our model significantly decreased odds for Above 10 by -20.2pp, widening its edge over the market.
- Both model and market sharply reduced Above 12 odds (model -31.9pp), compressing the edge market-led.
- Model reduced Above 20 odds more than market (-3.5pp), leading to a widened edge.
- Odds for Above 25 and 30 saw large market-led drops, compressing the edge.
- A below-average Atlantic hurricane season is forecast due to a moderate to strong El Niño. Storm counts exceeding 14 appear unlikely, given NOAA's 8-14 named storm forecast range. * Saharan Air Layer activity currently suppresses Atlantic tropical storm development.
Who Wins and Why
| Outcome | Market | Model | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 18 | 10.0% | 5.0% | Exceeding 18 named storms is well above the projected below-average season with maximum 14 storm forecasts. |
| Above 16 | 32.0% | 16.9% | Exceeding 16 named storms is above NOAA's predicted 8-14 activity level for 2026. |
| Above 14 | 42.0% | 23.2% | Above 14 named storms exceeds the upper bound of NOAA's 8-14 named storm forecast for 2026. |
| Above 12 | 39.0% | 26.2% | Leading agencies predict a below-average 2026 season due to El Niño and Saharan dust. |
| Above 10 | 78.0% | 61.8% | NOAA's forecast for named storms in 2026 ranges from 8-14. |
Current Context
Sources (15)
- 12026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 22026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 32026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonprod-east-nhc.woc.noaa.gov
- 42026 Atlantic hurricane season - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 52026 Atlantic hurricane season - Wikipediawikipedia.com
- 62026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 7[PDF] 2026 Atlantic Basins Hurricane Season Forecasttropical.colostate.edu
- 8June 2026 update to CSU’s seasonal Atlantic hurricane forecast reduces numbers, continues prediction of below-average season By MarComm. Staff How does CSU put its seasonal hurricane forecast together? Hurricane landfalling probability included in 2026 reporttropical.colostate.edu
- 9Colorado State updates its Atlantic hurricane season forecast, predicts fewer storms | WUSFwusf.org
- 10Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 112026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook - Climate Prediction Centercpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 12Tropics remain quiet, no development expected this weekcbs12.com
- 13National Hurricane Center watching 3 tropical waves as Fourth of July nearspalmbeachpost.com
- 14Talking the Tropics With Mike: Last day of the Atlantic hurricane season! - 104.5 WOKVwokv.com
- 15Tropics remain quiet as Florida faces extreme heatheraldtribune.com
2. Price Chart
Historical Price (Probability)
3. Significant Price Movements
Notable price changes detected in the chart, along with research into what caused each movement.
Outcome: Above 10
📈 June 25, 2026: 13.0pp spike
Price increased from 65.0% to 78.0%
Outcome: Above 16
📉 June 24, 2026: 18.0pp drop
Price decreased from 27.0% to 9.0%
Outcome: Above 12
📉 June 23, 2026: 13.0pp drop
Price decreased from 64.0% to 51.0%
📈 June 17, 2026: 8.0pp spike
Price increased from 57.0% to 65.0%
Outcome: Above 14
📉 June 15, 2026: 10.0pp drop
Price decreased from 46.0% to 36.0%
Sources (19)
- 12026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 22026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 32026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonprod-east-nhc.woc.noaa.gov
- 4Tropical cyclones in 2026en.wikipedia.org
- 5June 24, 2026 Tropical Update Wednesday - by Dr. Ryan Maueweather.substack.com
- 6Tropical development signals? What we need to watch for in the month of...youtube.com
- 72026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 8[PDF] 2026 Atlantic Basins Hurricane Season Forecasttropical.colostate.edu
- 9June 2026 update to CSU’s seasonal Atlantic hurricane forecast reduces numbers, continues prediction of below-average season By MarComm. Staff How does CSU put its seasonal hurricane forecast together? Hurricane landfalling probability included in 2026 reporttropical.colostate.edu
- 10NOAA predicts below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane seasonnoaa.gov
- 11North Atlantic tropical storm seasonal forecast 2026 - Met Officemetoffice.gov.uk
- 12Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 13CSU researchers predicting somewhat below-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2026 | Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering | Colorado State Universityengr.source.colostate.edu
- 14Colorado State University Cuts 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast, Citing El Niño - ProgramBusiness | Where insurance industry clicksprogrambusiness.com
- 15El Niño is officially here, raising confidence in a quiet 2026 Atlantic hurricane season | The Invading Seatheinvadingsea.com
- 162026 Atlantic hurricane season will see below-average tropical activity, NOAA says - ABC Newsabcnews.com
- 172026 Atlantic hurricane seasonen.wikipedia.org
- 18Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 19Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
4. Market Data
Contract Snapshot
This market resolves to YES if the NOAA's National Hurricane Center records more than 12 tropical storms, each with maximum sustained windspeeds of 39 miles per hour or above, between January 1, 2026, and December 1, 2026. Conversely, it resolves to NO if 12 or fewer such storms are recorded, with outcomes verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The market opens on April 1, 2026, closes on December 1, 2026, and expires at the sooner of the event's occurrence or one day after December 1, 2026, with a projected payout on December 2, 2026.
Available Contracts
Market options and current pricing
| Outcome bucket | Yes (price) | No (price) | Last trade probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 10 | $0.77 | $0.35 | 78% |
| Above 14 | $0.50 | $0.61 | 42% |
| Above 12 | $0.51 | $0.61 | 39% |
| Above 16 | $0.32 | $0.90 | 32% |
| Above 18 | $0.17 | $0.90 | 10% |
| Above 20 | $0.14 | $0.91 | 9% |
| Above 25 | $0.07 | $0.97 | 7% |
| Above 30 | $0.04 | $0.98 | 2% |
Market Discussion
Market discussion shows mixed views regarding the number of Atlantic tropical storms in 2026. Some traders anticipate higher numbers, partly due to sustained higher-than-normal Atlantic temperatures that could lead to more organized storms. Conversely, arguments for fewer storms include average African heat waves and, more prominently, a forecasted strong El Niño in August combined with strong wind shear and Saharan Dust, all of which are expected to inhibit tropical cyclone formation.
5. Trust Index
Order book is critically thin.
Primary risk· Trade quality
Includes the cost to trade: a $10,000 order can't be filled here because the order book is too thin.
Weighted blend with hard caps — a critically weak safety pillar, or a severe trading anomaly, caps the total regardless of the rest. Full methodology · About the Trust Index
6. How do the June 2026 seasonal forecasts from NOAA and Colorado State University (CSU) compare in methodology and historical accuracy during past El Niño years?
| 2026 Season Forecast | Below-normal season (NOAA, CSU) [1][2][3] |
|---|---|
| Primary Influencer | El Niño (increases vertical wind shear, inhibits hurricane development) [1][2][3] |
| Prediction Market Trend | Lower-than-average named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes [4][5][6][7] |
Sources (13)
- 1NOAA predicts below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane seasonnoaa.gov
- 2Embargo: CSU researchers predicting somewhat below-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2026 By MarComm Staff Embargo information: How many storms will there be in the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season? Hurricane landfalling probability included in 2026 reporttropical.colostate.edu
- 3NOAA's 2026 Hurricane Outlook Predicts Relatively Quiet Seasonweather.com
- 4How many Atlantic hurricanes will there be this year? - Kalshikalshi.com
- 5How active will the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season be? | Manifoldmanifold.markets
- 6How many Hurricanes in 2026? | Manifoldmanifold.markets
- 7How many major Atlantic hurricanes will there be in 2026? | Prediction Markets | Coinbasecoinbase.com
- 8FedEx Slips After First Earnings Since Spinoff | Bloomberg Intelligenceyoutube.com
- 9Equity Push amid Bond Warnings | Bloomberg Surveillanceyoutube.com
- 10Seasonalverification.htmlaoml.noaa.gov
- 11Assessing the Skill of Operational Atlantic Seasonal Tropical Cyclone Forecastsaoml.noaa.gov
- 12[PDF] 3A.1 Verification of 12 years of NOAA seasonal hurricane forecastsams.confex.com
- 132023 ATLANTIC SEASONAL HURRICANE FORECAST VERIFICATIONtropical.colostate.edu
7. What specific atmospheric and oceanic conditions in mid-2026 support the consensus forecast of a below-average hurricane season by agencies like NOAA and CSU?
| Dominant Suppressing Factor | Intensifying moderate to strong El Niño event [1] |
|---|---|
| NOAA Below-Normal Season Chance | 55% [1][2][3] |
| CSU Named Storms Forecast | 11 named storms [2][4][5] |
Sources (8)
- 12026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook - Climate Prediction Centercpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 2Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 3Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 4NOAA predicts below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane seasonnoaa.gov
- 5June 2026 update to CSU’s seasonal Atlantic hurricane forecast reduces numbers, continues prediction of below-average season By MarComm. Staff How does CSU put its seasonal hurricane forecast together? Hurricane landfalling probability included in 2026 reporttropical.colostate.edu
- 6EXTENDED-RANGE FORECAST OF ATLANTIC HURRICANE ACTIVITY FOR 2026tropical.colostate.edu
- 7Tropical Atlantic Update: June 2026bmcnoldy.blogspot.com
- 82026 Atlantic hurricane season begins: A strong El Niño could bring fewer storms » Yale Climate Connectionsyaleclimateconnections.org
8. Historically, what is the average number of named storms that form after July 1 during moderate-to-strong El Niño years?
| Average Named Storms (Moderate-to-Strong El Ni o Atlantic Hurricane Seasons) | approximately nine [1][2] |
|---|---|
| Average Named Storms (Typical Atlantic Hurricane Season Annually) | approximately 14 [3] |
| Named Storms after July 31 (Typical Atlantic Hurricane Season) | 12 [4] |
9. Aside from El Niño, what is the significance of the current Saharan Air Layer (SAL) activity, and how could its dissipation before September 2026 affect storm development?
| Moisture Reduction by SAL | Approximately 50% [1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| NOAA 2026 Named Storms Forecast | 8-14 storms [6][7][8] |
| 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook | Below-normal [6][7][8][9] |
Sources (9)
- 1Saharan Air Layer - NOAA/AOMLaoml.noaa.gov
- 2Saharan Dust Is Closing In on Florida: Could It Slow Down Hurricane Activity?theweather.com
- 3How does Saharan dust impact hurricane season? | Fox Weatherfoxweather.com
- 4Saharan Air Layer – NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratoryaoml.noaa.gov
- 5https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/85/3/bams-85-3-353.pdfjournals.ametsoc.org
- 6Hurricane threats drop as Saharan dust and wind shear dominatetallahassee.com
- 7NOAA predicts below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane seasonnoaa.gov
- 8CSU Hurricane Seasonal Forecastingtropical.colostate.edu
- 9Climate Prediction Center - Atlantic Hurricane Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
10. How does the pace of the 2026 season, with one named storm (Arthur) by late June, track against the timeline of previous below-average hurricane seasons like 2014 and 2015?
| 2026 First Named Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur, June 17 [1][2][3] |
|---|---|
| 2014 First Named Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur, July 1 [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] |
| 2015 First Named Storm | Tropical Storm Ana, May 8 [11][12][13][14] |
Sources (17)
- 12026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonprod-east-nhc.woc.noaa.gov
- 2Tropical Storm Arthur is the first named storm of the Atlantic... - NPRnpr.org
- 3Tropical Storm ARTHUR (text)nhc.noaa.gov
- 4Hurricane Arthur - June 26-July 5, 2014wpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- 5IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardshipncics.org
- 6Hurricane Arthur - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 72014 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 8Hurricane Arthur Recap: First Atlantic Hurricane of the 2014 Season | The Weather Channelweather.com
- 92014 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 102014 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 11RMS 2015 North Atlantic Hurricane Season Review v3.inddforms2.rms.com
- 122015 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 132015 Hurricane Season Off to Record Start: 11 Storms in Central, Eastern Pacific, Atlantic Basins Combined | The Weather Channelweather.com
- 142015 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 15EXTENDED-RANGE FORECAST OF ATLANTIC HURRICANE ACTIVITY FOR 2026tropical.colostate.edu
- 16June 2026 update to CSU’s seasonal Atlantic hurricane forecast reduces numbers, continues prediction of below-average season By MarComm. Staff How does CSU put its seasonal hurricane forecast together? Hurricane landfalling probability included in 2026 reporttropical.colostate.edu
- 17NOAA 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlookcpc.ncep.noaa.gov
11. What Could Change the Odds
Key Catalysts
Key Dates & Catalysts
- Expiration: December 02, 2026
- Closes: December 02, 2026
Sources (9)
- 12026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 22026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonnhc.noaa.gov
- 32026 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonprod-east-nhc.woc.noaa.gov
- 42026 Atlantic hurricane season - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 52026 Tropical Cyclone Advisory Archive - National Hurricane Centernhc.noaa.gov
- 6NHC GIS Archive - Tropical Cyclone Advisory Forecastnhc.noaa.gov
- 7National Hurricane Center watching 3 tropical waves as Fourth of July nearspalmbeachpost.com
- 8[PDF] 2026 Atlantic Basins Hurricane Season Forecasttropical.colostate.edu
- 9FedEx Slips After First Earnings Since Spinoff | Bloomberg Intelligenceyoutube.com