Major hurricanes—those reaching Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater—are rare in the early Atlantic hurricane season. Peak hurricane activity occurs between mid-August and mid-October, with the climatological midpoint on 10 September (NOAA). Since 1870, only three major hurricanes have formed during June: Hurricane Alma (1966), Hurricane Audrey (1957), and Hurricane Beryl (2024) (Wikipedia). Hurricane Beryl in 2024 set multiple records, becoming the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record when it reached that intensity on 2 July 2024, and the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded in June or July (Fox Weather).

The average Atlantic season produces 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, but the first major hurricane typically does not form until around 1 September (NOAA Tropical Cyclone Climatology). Warmer ocean temperatures associated with climate change have contributed to an increase in Category 4 and 5 hurricanes in recent decades, and the record-breaking 2024 season demonstrated that early-season major hurricanes are possible under exceptional conditions. Forecasters typically release seasonal outlooks in late May.

Resolution Criteria:

This question will be resolved using the National Hurricane Center's official storm advisories or the HURDAT2 database maintained by NOAA, accessible at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/. Historical storm data can also be verified using NOAA's Historical Hurricane Tracks tool at https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/. The count will include all Atlantic tropical cyclones that reach Category 3, 4, or 5 intensity (maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater) at any point before 31 July 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.