Memorial Day travel demand remains strong as NOAA predicts below-normal hurricane season and rising vacation costs Published May 25, 2026 1:07PM (EDT) Gas prices are just one of the rising travel costs for summer vacationers, despite a lower-than-average hurricane prediction. Americans are still planning their summer holidays. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) Memorial Day weekend is ushering in the unofficial start of summer with two competing realities for travelers: hurricane forecasters expect a quieter Atlantic season than recent years, but Americans heading out for summer vacations are facing rising travel costs fueled in part by global instability and higher fuel prices. NOAA this week predicted a below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, citing the development of El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which typically help suppress hurricane formation by increasing wind shear over the Atlantic basin.…