Hurricane season nears peak

Raleigh, N.C. (WNCN) — In this episode of Off the Radar, meteorologist Ross Whitley breaks down some of the most important weather topics as we move toward the heart of hurricane season.

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The conversation begins with lightning facts and dangers, including why lightning can strike well away from a thunderstorm, how quickly conditions can become dangerous, and why there is no such thing as a “safe” thunderstorm to be around. The goal is to understand the science behind lightning while also knowing when it is time to get indoors.

The discussion then shifts to the Atlantic hurricane season as we approach its climatological peak. More than 85% of Atlantic tropical cyclones historically develop during August, September, and October, making the coming weeks especially important even during a quieter-than-normal season.

Ross takes a look at Hurricane Lala, which recently impacted Hawaii, and explains why a storm can develop in one tropical basin while the Atlantic remains relatively quiet. Lala’s unusual track and impacts provide a good opportunity to discuss how tropical systems develop, strengthen, and interact with their surrounding environment.

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The final topic is El Niño and you. Ross explains what El Niño actually is, how unusually warm water in the tropical Pacific changes the atmosphere, and why those changes can have consequences thousands of miles away.

In 2026, El Niño is becoming a particularly important part of the forecast, with NOAA now expecting a very strong event later this year. That pattern is helping suppress Atlantic hurricane activity by increasing wind shear across the tropical Atlantic, one of the major reasons this hurricane season has been unusually quiet so far. That shear and weather pattern can lead to some wild weather in the fall and winter. 

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