AI Generated Image
Record-warm Gulf waters could fuel late tropical activity despite El Niño
FOX Weather • • nation
Key Points:
- Florida and Gulf waters have reached record-warm surface temperatures, creating favorable conditions for tropical development despite the current lack of Atlantic hurricanes.
- El Niño is suppressing Atlantic tropical activity through strong wind shear, preventing storm formation, while simultaneously driving increased tropical activity in the Pacific.
- The Atlantic hurricane season is approaching a historic milestone with no hurricanes formed yet in 2026, potentially breaking the record for the latest first hurricane since satellite records began in 1966.
- If a tropical system develops in October, the warm Gulf waters could rapidly intensify it, posing a threat to Florida as a cold front moves southward.
- Alternatively, the combination of a quiet hurricane season and strong El Niño may lead to a severe fall and winter weather season in Florida, increasing risks of heavy thunderstorms and tornadoes.
