The 2025 hurricane season has ended. It was more severe than anticipated.

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which concluded on November 30, proved to be unusual and historic, though not in ways initially expected when it began on June 1. For the first time in ten years, no hurricanes made landfall in the United States, offering relief to communities in the Southeast still recovering from previous storms. Yet, the season was far from inactive.

Experts described the season as one of striking contrasts. Overall, it fell within the predicted ranges set by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), though the total number of hurricanes was slightly below forecasts. Hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy characterized it as a slightly above-average season with unusual traits.

One of the most notable aspects was the number of Category 5 hurricanes. Normally, only a small percentage of storms reach this intensity. In 2025, 23% of named storms became Category 5, featuring winds of 157 mph or higher and often intensifying rapidly over warm ocean waters.

On the U.S. mainland, Tropical Storm Chantal struck near Litchfield, South Carolina, on July 6 and traveled through North Carolina and Virginia, causing flooding that resulted in at least six fatalities. Offshore hurricanes and seasonal high tides caused significant coastal damage, particularly along North Carolinas Outer Banks, where 16 homes were destroyed between September 16 and October 28.

In the Caribbean, Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica in late October with devastating effect, claiming at least 90 lives. Melissa intensified quickly as it moved across Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas, producing sustained winds of 185 mph and leaving widespread destruction in western Jamaica.

NOAA had projected a 60% probability of an above-average season, estimating 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes. The final season tally included 13 named storms, five hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. While the number of storms and hurricanes was slightly below average, the count of major hurricanes exceeded typical expectations, and overall cyclone energy was slightly above average.

Meteorologists noted that a persistent East Coast trough redirected storms northward before they could reach the U.S. coast. McNoldy explained that the trough generated unusual counterclockwise winds, steering hurricanes away from the mainland. Meteorologist Brian LaMarre compared forecasting to predicting the path of a twig in a river, with high-pressure systems acting as rocks that alter flows and create unpredictable mini-currents.

The 2025 season also highlighted interesting meteorological phenomena such as the Fujiwhara effect, where two stormsImelda and Humbertocame within 465 miles of each other and began orbiting a shared center point.

Hurricane Melissa set or tied multiple records: it became one of the strongest Atlantic storms, tied for highest sustained winds at 185 mph, and recorded the strongest gust ever measured by dropsonde at 252 mph. Melissa also tied the record for lowest central pressure at landfall, a benchmark previously only matched by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane in the Florida Keys.

The Colorado State University hurricane team, known for its seasonal forecasts, noted several key points about the season: Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) reached 133, 108% of the long-term average; major hurricanes and major hurricane days were above average; and no storms formed in the Atlantic from August 24 to September 16, a gap not seen since 1992 (or before that, 1939).

The season underscored that even with fewer direct U.S. impacts, the Atlantic basin experienced intense and record-setting activity, leaving meteorologists preparing for the next forecast in April 2026.

Author: Sophia Brooks