TT Club sounds alarm over 2026 hurricane forecast
Global transport and logistics insurer TT Club is urging ports, terminals, warehouses and transport and logistics operators to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season for 2026.
Colorado State University (CSU) has forecast 13 named storms and six hurricanes for the 2026 season - slightly below long-term averages - but TT Club warns that even a quieter season can deliver serious consequences for those who fail to prepare.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November 2026. CSU's April 2026 forecast predicts:
• 13 named storms, slightly below the 1991–2020 average of 14.4
• Six hurricanes, compared with a long-term average of 7.2
• Two major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher), below the long-term average of 3.2
• An Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) value of 90, notably lower than the long-term average of 123
• Overall hurricane activity is expected to be equivalent to roughly 75% of typical seasonal activity.
Despite the relatively modest forecast, TT Club stresses that historical experience demonstrates it only takes one hurricane making landfall to cause significant damage, supply chain disruption and loss of life. In recent years, natural catastrophe losses have exceeded $100 billion globally for multiple consecutive years, driven predominantly by windstorm, flooding and severe convective storms, particularly in North America.
CSU notes that weak La Niña conditions are likely to transition to El Niño during the peak of the season, increasing vertical wind shear across the Atlantic, which tends to suppress storm formation. While sea surface temperatures in the western Atlantic remain warmer than normal, conditions in the eastern and central Atlantic are slightly cooler, further limiting storm intensity.
TT Club is calling on all coastal and inland facilities - particularly those along the Atlantic seaboard, the Caribbean and the Gulf coast - to review, test and update their storm safety procedures ahead of the season, ensuring all staff are fully familiar with emergency protocols.
As part of an effective crisis management plan, personnel must understand their roles and responsibilities, including communication and escalation procedures, well in advance of any weather warning. Given the increasing unpredictability of storms in terms of both path and intensity, facilities that have not suffered major damage in the past are urged to remain vigilant and prepare for the worst when named storms are forecast to impact their locations.
Key operational preparedness measures include:
• Ensuring cranes are properly maintained, pinned and secured when not in operation
• Enforcing clear procedures to cease activity beyond specified wind speed conditions
• Providing clear instructions to operators regarding actions during unexpected wind gusts
• Maintaining effective housekeeping standards to minimise wind and surge related damage
Neil Dalus, risk assessment manager at TT Club states: "A below-average forecast can be dangerously misleading. History has shown us that it only takes one storm making landfall in the wrong place to cause devastating loss of life, infrastructure damage and supply chain disruption. The numbers may look modest this year, but complacency is not an option. Review your procedures, secure your equipment and make sure every member of your team knows exactly what to do when a warning is issued - the time to prepare is now."
The TT Club added that planning and preparation remain essential to protecting personnel, assets, infrastructure, cargo and contractual liabilities, while maximising operational resilience throughout the storm season. Operators are also advised to review their insurance cover for extreme weather events and other weather-related natural disasters.
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