The 2026 eastern and central Pacific hurricane season has been extraordinary, breaking records for the number of days with a hurricane spinning east of the international date line. This hyperactive season is largely driven by a strong El Niño, which has weakened high-altitude winds that typically disrupt storms, allowing them to persist and intensify. Unusually warm ocean waters, several degrees Fahrenheit above normal, have provided ample fuel for these storms, leading to notable storms like Nolo, Odalys, and Simon reaching Category 4, and Polo setting a record for time spent at Category 5. The activity has been so intense that both the eastern and central Pacific subregions have been simultaneously active, a phenomenon not seen before.

This contrasts sharply with the Atlantic, where hurricane activity has been suppressed, with the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) being less than 18% of normal for this time of year. The warm waters in the Pacific are deeper than usual, preventing the typical cooling effect that would weaken subsequent storms. A counterclockwise atmospheric spin over Central America, known as a gyre, has also contributed by generating storm seeds. Scientists, including Phil Klotzbach and Kristen Corbosiero, have noted that the conditions are likely to continue for some time, with the potential for more storms in the near future.