Hurricane season in SC underway. What are the chances a storm hits in June? Here’s what to expect

Hurricane season began June 1, and it’s off to a quiet start.

No storms are on their way now, but that’s not unexpected. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 2026’s hurricane season would be below normal, with fewer hurricanes than years past.

Here’s what you need to know for the first month of Hurricane season:

What to expect for June

June is hurricane season’s first and one of the slowest months. According to the National Hurricane Center, two tropical storms formed in June last year. The first was on June 23. Neither storm made landfall in the U.S. One storm formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and the other far off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

Only three tropical cyclones have made landfall in June in South Carolina since 1851, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Only one was a hurricane, in 1867.

Sea surface temperatures are warm enough to support tropical cyclone formation. They need temperatures above 80 degrees to form, and temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and The Bahamas are warm enough.

Hurricane season will begin to pick up in August. Tropical cyclone activity peaks in mid-September when sea temperatures are at their warmest. NOAA predicts 14 named storms will form this year. Named storms are tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 39 miles per hour or greater. Three to six are predicted to reach hurricane strength, and one to three of major hurricane strength. A hurricane of category three or greater strength is a major hurricane.

What will the first storm be named?

The World Meteorological Organization maintains a 21 name list for each hurricane season. The first tropical cyclone to form will be named Arthur.

The organization implemented a supplemental list of names after the 2020 hurricane season exhausted the list. Supplemental names will be used if more than 21 tropical cyclones form in 2026. Names are retired when a tropical cyclone causes major damage or loss of life.

How to stay informed

Here are some resources to stay updated and help you prepare if a tropical cyclone forms:

• The National Hurricane Center provides regular updates on potential and current hurricanes.
• The National Weather Service provides safety and preparedness information here.
• NOAA’s hurricane season outlook will update in August, just before the peak of hurricane season.