ATLANTA – (HousingWire) The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and despite predictions of a quieter year, experts are urging the housing industry not to ease up on storm-resilient building.
NOAA’s 2026 outlook calls for 8 to 14 named storms, 3 to 6 hurricanes, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes. That follows 2025, the first season since 2015 in which no hurricane made U.S. landfall. Two consecutive slow seasons can breed a dangerous sense of normalcy among builders and developers making long-term infrastructure decisions.
Last year’s quiet season still delivered real consequences. Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall in South Carolina, flooding coastal communities, and offshore storms generated large swells that accelerated coastal erosion along the Outer Banks. A season without a major landfall is not a season without risk.
Patrick Chopson, principal architect with Atlanta-based firm cove, told The Builder’s Daily that developers and builders may be tempted to dismiss the threat during a slower season. “But I always tell people, Indiana University won a football championship this year, and we got the New York Knicks in the NBA finals,” Chopson said. “You should really expect the impossible.”