Big ones for 2026

[Hurricane2022]

"New year, new name list!" – Let's place our bets and try to guess which names will be used for major hurricanes in this new year of 2026.

My guesses are:
- For the Atlantic: Gonzalo, Isaias and Josephine.
- For the EPAC: Cristina, Fausto, Genevieve, Lowell, Norbert and Trudy.
- For the WPAC: Mekkhala, Maysak and Gaenari.

[Category5Kaiju]

I predict that this upcoming Atlantic hurricane season may be fairly tame in terms of overall storm count (preliminary prediction of 11-15 NSs) and with what looks to likely be some kind of +ENSO phase in place by peak season, I think we're going to see unfavorable conditions by October and, therefore, no October monsters like Milton or Melissa, especially in the Gulf and Caribbean. Therefore, I'm going to bank on the idea that any name past K will turn out to be an insignificant storm in the grand scheme of things.

What I do think will happen is, despite the solidly below-average or near-average NS count, there will be pockets of favorable conditions in August and September that will open the way for some potent storms (preliminary prediction of 2-3 MHs). I think any name between and including Edouard and Josephine will be fair-game for becoming the one or two peak-season beasts. Except Isaias. Because a bold prediction I'm making is that the I curse goes on sabbatical again this year, and Isaias will turn into slop that Josh Morgerman relentlessly makes fun of.

The big surprise that I predict is that 2026 will manage to pull a 1977/1980/1992 trick by starting in August (and, in the process, generating many season-doubting comments in June and July) but also having Arthur become a powerhouse Category 5 hurricane, thereby extending the number of consecutive seasons with the first hurricane also becoming a Category 5 to a whopping three and extending the number of consecutive seasons featuring Category 5 hurricanes to a record-breaking five. And, also in the process, demonstrate that in this day and age, it's still possible to get a big bad A storm under the right circumstances.

[Ulf]

Since there is a good chance of El Niño developing, I am going with:

Atlantic: Dolly, Isaias

I am predicting the I curse will make a comeback this year and people will stop mispronouncing it.

EPAC: Douglas, Hernan, Odalys

WPAC: Hagupit, Haishen, Kujira, Atsani, Surigae

Predicting that Surigae will be a late-season super typhoon.

[Teban54]

Completely baseless prediction:

Bertha will once again be an MDR hurricane in July. This will thus become the name's 4th use as a July hurricane, and 3rd as a July hurricane in the MDR.