The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was an annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic basin, featuring bursts of intense tropical cyclone development over warmer-than-normal waters between long and quiet stretches with low tropical activity. Three Category 5 hurricanes formed this season, the second most of any year on record, behind only the 2005 season, which had four. Among the three was Hurricane Melissa, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year globally, among the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, as well as the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in Jamaica on record. Due in large part to these systems, and despite a near-average total of 13 named storms, 5 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes, the season had an above-normal accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 130.8 units. The season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most subtropical or tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic Ocean. Overall, 13 named storms formed, with 5 of those becoming hurricanes, of which 4 strengthened into major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale). The first system, Tropical Storm Andrea, formed on June 23, marking the latest start to an Atlantic season since 2014.
Also in June, Tropical Storm Barry struck Veracruz causing widespread flooding in eastern Mexico. Then, in July, Tropical Storm Chantal hit South Carolina, the only system to make landfall in the United States this season, producing heavy rainfall across the Carolinas. No hurricanes made landfall in the United States this season, for the first time since 2015. In August, Hurricane Erin reached Category 5 strength. It made landfall in Cape Verde as a tropical storm and had indirect effects on the eastern Caribbean and the Atlantic coast of the United States. Afterwards, unfavorable conditions caused tropical cyclogenesis to cease for nearly a month through the end of August and the first two weeks of September, during the typical peak of the hurricane season. In mid-September, activity resumed with the formation of Hurricane Gabrielle in the central Atlantic. Gabrielle rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane before weakening and affecting the Azores and Spain as an extratropical cyclone. Next came Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda. Humberto attained Category 5 strength, but did not make landfall. While developing into a tropical cyclone, Imelda caused significant flooding in the Eastern Caribbean before strengthening off the East Coast of the United States and passing close to Bermuda. In October, Tropical Storm Jerry brought heavy rain to portions of the Lesser Antilles. Later that month, the final and strongest storm of the season, Hurricane Melissa, intensified into a Category 5 hurricane south of Jamaica and made landfall there near peak intensity, resulting in catastrophic destruction. Melissa dissipated on October 31, with no storms forming during the month of November, in turn concluding the season. Collectively, the storms during the season caused at least 126 fatalities and resulted in at least US$12.7 billion in monetary losses, mostly due to Melissa.
Seasonal forecasts +Predictions of tropical activity in the 2025 seasonSourceDateNamedstormsHurricanesMajorhurricanesRefAverage (1991–2020) 14.4 7.2 3.2 Record high activity30157†Record low activity10†0† TSRDecember 10, 20241573CSUApril 3, 20251794TSRApril 7, 20251473UAApril 9, 20251573MUApril 14, 202512–167–93–4NCSUApril 15, 202512–156–82–3TWCApril 17, 20251994UPennApril 23, 202510–18N/AN/A SMN May 7, 202513–176–83–4UKMOMay 21, 20251694 NOAAMay 22, 202513–196–103–5TSRMay 23, 20251684CSUJune 11, 20251794UAJune 17, 20251773TSRJuly 8, 20251573CSUJuly 9, 20251683NOAAAugust 7, 202513–185–92–5Actual activity1354 † Most recent of several such occurrences. (See all) In advance of, and during, each hurricane season, several forecasts of hurricane activity are issued by national meteorological services, scientific agencies, and noted hurricane experts. These include forecasters from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Climate Prediction Center, Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), the United Kingdom's Met Office, and Colorado State University (CSU). The forecasts include weekly and monthly changes in significant factors that help determine the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a particular season.
According to NOAA and CSU, the average hurricane season between 1991 and 2020 contained about 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 and higher), as well as an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of 72–111 units. Broadly speaking, ACE is the measure of the power of a tropical or subtropical cyclone multiplied by the length of time it existed. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on specific tropical or subtropical cyclones reaching wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h) or higher. NOAA typically describes a season as above-average, average, or below-average depending on the cumulative ACE index, but the number of tropical storms, hurricanes or major hurricanes can also be considered.
Pre-season forecasts On December 10, 2024, Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) released its extended range forecast for the 2025 season, predicting an average season with 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 129, but noted that the forecast had higher than normal uncertainty due to environmental factors.
On April 3, 2025, Colorado State University (CSU) released its forecast, which predicts an above-average hurricane season with 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes, with an ACE index of 155, citing extremely warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a weakening La Niña transitioning to a neutral phase by summer. Four days later, TSR issued an updated forecast, again calling for a near-average season reducing the number of tropical storms to 14, but maintained the numbers of hurricanes at 7 and majors at 3 and ACE index of 120.
On April 9, the University of Arizona (UA) posted their forecast calling for a fairly normal season featuring 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 110 units. On April 14, University of Missouri (MU) issued their prediction of 12–16 named storms, 7–9 hurricanes, and 3–4 major hurricanes. On April 15, North Carolina State University (NCSU) predicted a season with 12–15 tropical storms, 6–8 hurricanes, and 2–3 major hurricanes. On April 17, The Weather Company (TWC) released their outlook anticipating a well above average season with 19 named systems, 9 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes. On April 23, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) issued their forecast of 10–18 named storms with a best guess of 14 storms.
On May 7, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) issued their forecast of 13–17 tropical storms, 6–8 hurricanes, and 3–4 major hurricanes. On May 21, the Met Office (UKMO) released their prediction of 16 tropical storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes as well as ACE Index of 154. On May 22, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their forecast, calling for an above-average season, expecting 13–19 named storms, 6–10 hurricanes, and 3–5 major hurricanes as well as an ACE index of 95–180. On May 23, 2025, TSR updated its forecast, calling for an above-average season, expecting 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes and an ACE index of 146.
Mid-season forecasts On June 11, CSU updated its prediction, continuing to show an above average season, with 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 155, the same statistics forecasted in April. On June 17, the University of Arizona (UA) updated their forecast, continuing to call for a season featuring 17 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, but an above-normal ACE index of 155 units—higher than predicted in April.
On July 8, TSR updated their forecast, calling for 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes, an ACE index of 126 units, with CSU updating their predictions the next day, slightly downgrading their forecast to 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 140 units. Weeks later, on August 7, NOAA updated its predictions as well, continuing to forecast an above-average season, but slightly decreasing their forecasted totals of storms. NOAA's predictions were reduced to 13–18 named storms, 5–9 hurricanes, and 2–5 major hurricanes.
Seasonal summary
Background
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. Thirteen tropical cyclones formed, all of which intensified into named storms. Five storms strengthened into hurricanes, four of which became major hurricanes, the highest percentage ever observed in an Atlantic hurricane season. In a post-season review by the NHC, they estimated that the individual strength of this season's storms was 50% harder to predict on average.
This season's ACE index was approximately 130.8 units, as officially calculated by the NHC. This number represents the sum of the squares of the maximum sustained wind speeds (measured in knots) for all named storms while they are at least tropical storm intensity, divided by 10,000.
Early-season activity Tropical cyclogenesis in the Atlantic Ocean began on June 23 with the formation of Tropical Storm Andrea, three weeks after the official start of the season and three days later than the basin's average first named storm date. This marked the latest start to an Atlantic hurricane season since 2014, when Hurricane Arthur developed on July 1. Andrea remained over open waters in the central Atlantic. The second storm, Tropical Storm Barry, formed in the Bay of Campeche on June 28 and made landfall near Tampico the following day.
Early-season storm formation was limited by several factors. A sprawling North Atlantic High steered tropical waves emerging from West Africa farther south than usual, toward Central America and into the eastern Pacific Ocean. Persistent Saharan dust and the interaction of Kelvin and Rossby waves over the Americas contributed to a hostile environment for tropical development. The third storm, Tropical Storm Chantal, developed off the Atlantic coast of the Southeastern United States on July 4 and made landfall two days later in South Carolina. All three early-season storms were short-lived, lasting a combined 2.5 days as named storms, well below the 1991–2020 average of 9.1 days through August 2.
Peak-season activity
After nearly a month of inactivity, Tropical Storm Dexter developed along a stalled front off the North Carolina coast on August 3 before moving out to sea. Hurricane Erin formed near Cape Verde on August 11 and traversed the Atlantic, intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane near the northern Leeward Islands on August 16. It then brought rain, wind, and rip currents to Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States, while remaining off shore.
Shortly after Erin became extratropical, Tropical Storm Fernand formed in the open Atlantic, southeast of Bermuda. Wind shear along with dry air and stable atmospheric conditions inhibited tropical cyclogenesis during the first half of September, the climatological peak of hurricane season. This highly unusual, nearly three-week long inactive stretch came to an end with the formation of Hurricane Gabrielle on September 17, far to the east of the northern Leeward Islands. The only other season in the weather satellite era to have no named storm active between the end of August and mid-September was the 1992 season. Gabrielle approached Bermuda as a Category 4 hurricane, completed a right turn just southeast of the island, then moved toward the Azores.