2026 Central Pacific hurricane season
Jun 1, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026 · Season in progress
The 2026 Central Pacific hurricane season has had 2 named storms, 1 hurricane and 1 major hurricane so far, against a 1991–2020 average of 1.0, 0.5 and 0.3 by October 1.
2026 season at a glance
- Named storms: 2 so far (1991–2020 average 1.6; 1.0 by October 1).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 1 (average 0.8; 0.5 by October 1).
- Major, 96 kt+: 1 (average 0.5).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 26.2 so far, 110% of the 24 average.
- Named-storm days: 17.3, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Lala, August 13.
- First hurricane: Lala, August 15.
- First major storm: Lala, August 19.
- Most recent named storm: Moke, August 21.
- All systems tracked: 2, every one of which reached tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).
Every storm of the 2026 season
- Lala: Lala formed in the Central Pacific in August 2026 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 947 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 18 days.
- Moke: Moke formed in the Central Pacific in August 2026 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2026 so far
Hurricane Lala was the strongest storm so far, peaking at 130 mph (215 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 947 mb, on August 19. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
12 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 4 matched it. It produced 94% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2026
No storm in the 2026 Central Pacific hurricane season has made landfall so far, according to the best track.
How 2026 ranks since 1980
So far, the season ranks 8th of 47 Central Pacific seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 12 other seasons), 8th for hurricanes (tied with 18 other seasons) and 11th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 7 named storms, in 2015, and the highest ACE is 167, in 1992. Rankings for a season in progress change as storms form.
2026 storm names
The 2026 season has used 2 names: Lala, Moke.
Central Pacific names are used in order across years from four lists, so a season picks up where the last one stopped. See the Central Pacific name lists.
2026 season FAQ
How many named storms so far in 2026?
As of October 1, the 2026 Central Pacific hurricane season has had 2 named storms, 1 hurricane and 1 major hurricane. A whole season averages 1.6 named storms (1991–2020), and 1.0 have usually formed by this date. The most recent to form was Moke, on August 21.
What is the strongest storm of the 2026 season so far?
Hurricane Lala. It peaked at 130 mph (215 km/h, 115 kt) with a lowest pressure of 947 mb on August 19. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 12 Central Pacific storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 94% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When does the 2026 season end?
Officially on November 30, 2026, when the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific seasons all close. That date is a convention, not a cutoff: a storm that forms in December still counts toward the 2026 season, and 2 Central Pacific storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.