If you’re checking the window and seeing snow or just a grey winter sky, it feels weird to even ask: where are the hurricanes right now? Most of us in the Northern Hemisphere associate hurricanes with summer humidity and the dread of a late-August forecast. But the planet is big. While the Atlantic is currently "sleeping," other parts of the world are very much in the thick of it.
Honestly, the weather doesn't follow our calendar. It follows the heat.
Right now, as of January 17, 2026, the focus has shifted entirely away from the U.S. East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) basically closed up shop for the season back in November, and they won't start regular daily outlooks again until May. But if you look toward the Southern Hemisphere and the Western Pacific, the story is different. We have active systems spinning over warm tropical waters while the North stays frozen.
The Active Storms: Nokaen and Dudzai
Right now, there are two primary systems that meteorologists are watching. They aren't called "hurricanes" because of where they are located, but they are the exact same physical phenomenon.
Tropical Storm Nokaen (Western Pacific)
Up in the Northwest Pacific, we have Tropical Storm Nokaen. As of this morning, it’s hanging out near the Philippines, specifically around 14.3N 125E. It’s not a monster—winds are sustained at about 50 mph (roughly 80 km/h)—but it’s a reminder that the Pacific "typhoon" season never really truly ends. It just gets quieter.
Nokaen is currently moving toward the northeast. For anyone in the region, the main concern isn't necessarily a massive landfall, but the heavy rain bands that can trigger landslides in saturated soil. It's technically a "Tropical Storm" right now, not a full-blown Typhoon, but that's cold comfort if you're under a flood warning.
Tropical Cyclone Dudzai (Indian Ocean)
Down in the South Indian Ocean, things are a bit more intense. Tropical Cyclone Dudzai is spinning at 18S 67.4E. This is a Category 1 equivalent storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds gusting near 65 mph.
It’s currently moving Southwest. It’s a classic Southern Hemisphere cyclone, spinning clockwise—the opposite of what we see in Florida or South Carolina. Dudzai is currently over open water, which is the best place for it to be.
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Where are the hurricanes right now in the Atlantic?
Nowhere. Zero.
The North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico are completely quiet. If you look at the NHC’s satellite feed today, you’ll see plenty of cold fronts and "nor'easters" pushing off the coast of New England, but nothing tropical.
Why? Because hurricanes are heat engines. They need sea surface temperatures of at least 80°F (26.5°C) to survive. Right now, the Atlantic is just too cold. The "fuel" isn't there.
Key Dates for the 2026 Season:
- May 15, 2026: NHC begins routine Tropical Weather Outlooks for the Eastern Pacific.
- June 1, 2026: Official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
- September 10, 2026: The statistical "peak" of the season when you should be most worried.
We’re currently in the "off-season" lull. It’s the time of year when emergency managers tell you to restock your batteries and check your insurance, specifically because there isn't a storm on the horizon yet.
The Southern Hemisphere Peak
While we’re wearing coats, people in Australia, Mauritius, and Madagascar are in the heart of their cyclone season. Their season runs roughly from November to April.
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The waters around Northern Australia and the South Indian Ocean are currently "hot." I mean that literally. Sea surface temperatures there are hovering well above the threshold needed for storm formation. In fact, latest data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) shows a La Niña pattern is still hanging on.
What La Niña means for 2026
La Niña usually means more frequent and more intense cyclones for Australia and the Western Pacific. It also tends to "prime" the Atlantic for a busier season later in the year by reducing wind shear. If this pattern sticks around until June, the 2026 Atlantic season could be a rough one.
Understanding the Terminology Gap
It gets confusing when you see "Cyclone Dudzai" and "Tropical Storm Nokaen" but no "Hurricanes." Here is the simple breakdown:
- Hurricane: Atlantic and Northeast Pacific (The Americas).
- Typhoon: Northwest Pacific (Asia).
- Cyclone: South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
They are all Tropical Cyclones. The name just depends on which ocean the storm is currently trying to ruin. So, when you ask "where are the hurricanes right now," you’re really asking about the state of the global tropical atmosphere.
Staying Safe and Staying Informed
Tracking these things in the "off-season" might seem like overkill, but it’s how you spot trends. If the Western Pacific is active in January, it usually means the ocean heat content is high.
What you can do today:
- Bookmark the JTWC: The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is the best place to track storms like Nokaen and Dudzai that fall outside the NHC's jurisdiction.
- Check the "Invests": Look for areas labeled "Invest 96S" or similar. These are "investigations"—blobs of thunderstorms that haven't become storms yet but have the potential.
- Review Your Kit: If you live in a coastal area, don't wait until June. Prices for generators and plywood always spike the week a name is assigned.
The storms are currently thousands of miles away from the U.S. coastline, swirling in the deep blues of the Indian and Western Pacific oceans. For now, the Atlantic is safe, but the gears of the 2026 season are already starting to turn deep underwater.
Actionable Insights:
Keep a close watch on the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) over the next three months. If it remains positive, expect an early and aggressive start to the 2026 Atlantic season. Now is the ideal window to update your digital evacuation cloud (scanning important documents) while the weather is calm.