Hurricane HQ: Chance of Gulf hurricanes drops to 14 percent during El Niño summers

Hurricane HQ: Chance of Gulf hurricanes drops to 14 percent during El Niño summers

With the development of the El Niño climate pattern imminent, exclusive historical analysis from the FOX Forecast Center shows that the presence of El Niño dramatically reduces the odds of a tropical system — including hurricanes — forming in the Gulf during the summer months, June through August. However, exactly when El Niño develops will play a key role in how much protection the Gulf receives this summer. If El Niño does not emerge until late August or beyond, there will be a window of greater opportunity for hurricanes to form in the Gulf — a region where the majority of tropical development occurs during the first half of the season.