The National Hurricane Center announced a redesigned tropical cyclone forecast cone for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, incorporating inland watches and warnings to help communities better assess risks from tropical storms and hurricanes.
The updated operational cone graphic will, for the first time, display both coastal and inland tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings across the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will also feature a single shading for the entire five-day outlook, replacing previous multi-shaded designs.
NHC officials said the changes aim to make the cone more accurate, easier to understand, and better at communicating wind hazards that can extend far inland. The Atlantic forecast cone is expected to be 4% to 8% smaller than in 2025 due to improved forecasting techniques.
In addition, the NHC will test an experimental “cone of uncertainty” during the 2026 season. This version uses ellipses anchored at each forecast point rather than traditional circles, allowing it to better account for variations in both storm speed and direction. The experimental cone is designed to encompass 90% of possible forecast tracks, compared to the current 67% confidence interval.
The improvements were informed by positive feedback from experimental use in prior years.
Separately, AccuWeather issued its initial outlook for the 2026 season, predicting 11 to 16 named storms, including four to seven hurricanes and two to four major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The forecast is near or below the historical average, largely due to a developing El Niño, which typically suppresses Atlantic activity.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The 2026 list of storm names, in order, is: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.
