Sea surface temperatures across the Gulf of Mexico are running 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit above the 30-year average for mid-April, a concerning signal ahead of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season that begins in less than seven weeks.
NOAA buoy data shows water temperatures near 82 degrees in the central Gulf, levels typically not reached until late May or early June. The warm waters provide the fuel that tropical systems need to rapidly intensify.
Hurricane researchers note that similar early-season warmth in the Gulf preceded the hyperactive 2005 and 2020 seasons, both of which produced multiple major hurricanes that made landfall along the US coastline.
