Pacific Tropical Storms Multiply as El Nino Dampens Atlantic Activity

Three active tropical storms and four waves are currently moving across the Pacific Ocean as of August 26, 2026, while El Nino conditions keep the Atlantic Basin unusually quiet. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center reported Tuesday morning that Tropical Storm Julio formed in the Eastern Pacific, centered roughly 675 miles west-southwest of Baja California's southern tip. Moving with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, Julio was projected to be absorbed later in the day by Tropical Storm Iselle.

Iselle maintained winds of 70 mph approximately 730 miles west of the Baja California peninsula. Neither storm prompted any coastal watches or warnings, and meteorologists confirmed that none of the current Pacific systems threaten land areas.

Farther west in the Central Pacific, Tropical Storm Lala continued tracking across open water with 50 mph sustained winds. Earlier in the month, Lala reached hurricane strength, bringing destructive flooding and heavy rainfall to parts of Hawaii via its outer bands.

The Pacific Ocean has logged 12 named storms and three hurricanes so far this year. Meteorologists attribute the high level of activity to ongoing El Nino conditions, which weaken eastern Pacific trade winds and warm surface water temperatures to create favorable conditions for storm development. Conversely, El Nino generates high wind shear and dry, dust-laden air across the Atlantic Basin, squelching thunderstorm creation. Meteorologists use Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) to track total energy generated by storms, noting that Atlantic activity is expected to remain below average for the remainder of the season.