# When does hurricane season end?

*The Atlantic season starts on June 1 and peaks on September 10, and storms sometimes form after the official end date.*

- Type: Explainer
- Section: Science
- By: Science Desk
- Published: 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00
- URL: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/

## Key facts

- The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30 each year. It runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center. Source: [National Hurricane Center, NOAA](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/#the-atlantic-hurricane-season-ends-on-november-30-each-year
- The eastern Pacific hurricane season also ends on November 30. It starts earlier, on May 15. Source: [National Hurricane Center, NOAA](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/#the-eastern-pacific-hurricane-season-also-ends-on-november
- The hurricane season in the Pacific officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Source: [Central Pacific Hurricane Center, NOAA](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/#the-hurricane-season-in-the-pacific-officially-begins-on
- The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is September 10, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October. Source: [National Hurricane Center, NOAA](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/#the-peak-of-the-atlantic-hurricane-season-is-september-10
- Tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic sometimes occurs before June 1 and after November 30, the National Hurricane Center said. Source: [National Hurricane Center, NOAA](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:55-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/science/when-does-hurricane-season-end/#tropical-cyclone-activity-in-the-atlantic-sometimes-occurs

Hurricane season ends on November 30. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 each year, according to the [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), and the eastern Pacific season ends on the same date. The [Central Pacific Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php) gives November 30 as the end of the hurricane season in the Pacific. In 2026, November 30 falls on a Monday.

## Season dates by basin

The National Hurricane Center gives the Atlantic and eastern Pacific dates on its [climatology page](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). The Central Pacific Hurricane Center gives the dates for the hurricane season in the Pacific on its [About page](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php).

| Basin | Season starts | Season ends |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Atlantic | June 1 | November 30 |
| Eastern Pacific | May 15 | November 30 |
| Pacific, as given by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center | June 1 | November 30 |

The Atlantic basin includes the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, the National Hurricane Center [said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). The eastern Pacific basin extends from Mexico and Central America westward to 140 degrees west longitude. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center [covers](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php) the area from 140 degrees west longitude to the International Date Line.

## Can a storm form after November 30?

Yes. The end date is the official end of the season, not a guarantee that storms stop. The National Hurricane Center's [climatology page](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/) says: "The official hurricane season for the Atlantic basin is from June 1 to November 30, but tropical cyclone activity sometimes occurs before and after these dates, respectively." The same page says tropical cyclones in the eastern Pacific occasionally occur before and after that basin's official dates.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center [said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php) that "tropical cyclones can and do occur year round."

For the storms being tracked at the moment, see [Are there any hurricanes right now?](/science/are-there-any-hurricanes-right-now/)

## When the season peaks

The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is September 10, and most activity occurs between mid-August and mid-October, according to the [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/).

The eastern Pacific has a peak in late August that is less pronounced than the Atlantic peak, the [same page](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/) says, and most tropical cyclones there occur between late June and early October.

## What an average season looks like

Based on the 30 years from 1991 to 2020, an average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes, the National Hurricane Center [said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/). An average eastern Pacific season has 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes over the same period.

A hurricane is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher, and a major hurricane has winds of 111 mph or higher, which is Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, according to the [same page](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/).

In the National Hurricane Center's [table of an average Atlantic season](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), the 14th named storm has normally formed by November 19 and the 7th hurricane by November 15. The center notes that formation dates in individual seasons could vary considerably from these averages.

## Sources

1. [Tropical Cyclone Climatology](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), National Hurricane Center, NOAA, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
2. [About the Central Pacific Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutcphc.php), Central Pacific Hurricane Center, NOAA, 2026-11-12 (primary source)