Storm Resistance in Your Home: Important Tips for Hurricane Preparation
Learn how to protect your home from hurricanes using these important tips on tree maintenance, stormwater system care, and outdoor objects protection.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season 2025 is pretty much here, and the National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration says that the “confluence of factors” is set to fuel the tropical cyclone in the coming months.
NOAA officials said they are currently prepared for danger as they released a forecast that predicts 60% of the above average season.
Specifically, NOAA predicts the range of 13-19 named storms (winds above 39 mph). Of these, 6-10 are predicted to be hurricanes (winds above 74 mph) that include 3-5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5, 111 mph or more).
A typical year averages around 14 tropical storms, seven of which turn into hurricanes based on weather records from 1991 to 2020.
Before releasing the outlook for 2025, NOAA representative manager Laura Grimm said last year’s outlook was “money correct.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjlp-sx6kam
In 2024, 18 nominated storms formed, including catastrophic Hurricane Helen and Milton. With over 400 deaths, 2024 was the country’s most deadly hurricane season since 2005, said Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center. It was also the third most cost on record since 2017 and 2005.
Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1st and continues until November 30th. The first storm was named Andrea.
The season is expected to exceed average due to confluence of factors including continuous neutral conditions, ocean temperatures warmer than average ocean temperatures, forecasts of weak wind shears, and the likelihood of higher activity from the West African monsoon, NOAA said in its media release.
(“enso” stands for “El Niño – Southern Oscillation.” The overall term for the El Niño/La Niña climate cycle that affects the weather around the world.
“All of these factors tend to prefer to form tropical storms,” NOAA said.
University of Miami meteorologist Andy Hazelton wrote in X, “I said it’s a pretty reasonable outlook for the season from NOAA. I’m a bit surprised that we’re sure we’ll be above average, but in the worst seasons, the cool neutral Ensaw means that (wind) shear is pretty low.”
He added that it will determine whether Atlantic temperatures are likely near low season numbers or the number of predicted storms.
Other top forecasters predict active seasons. The hurricane forecasting team at Colorado State University, led by Phil Klotzbach, predicted that the 17 total storms would be named 17 in the April forecast, nine of which would become hurricanes.
Accuweather’s forecast, released in March, calls for a storm with names 13-18, of which 7-10 are hurricanes.
The record for most real name storms during the season is 30, set in 2020.
Although no tropical cyclone has formed in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean so far this year, the National Hurricane Center says tropical depression could form in the southern Pacific Ocean in late May. It’s too early to say whether the system will affect the land area.
The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before the hurricane season begins, the National Hurricane Centre said.
It is important to understand the vulnerability of your home to storm surges, floods and winds. Here’s a checklist of things to do before hurricane season begins: Below is a USA Today link for bookmarks on how to prepare your home for a hurricane and how to prepare your go-bag in case you need to evacuate.
With at least 241 US deaths, Helen is the deadliest single storm in the US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, killing around 1,400 people.
Other deadly storms of 2024 included Hurricanes Beryl and Milton, each killing more than 40 people in the United States.
NOAA forecasters also released forecasts for the Eastern Pacific Basin, saying that below average seasons are most likely. The average East Pacific hurricane season produces 15 names of storms.
Storms and hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean remain primarily in the ocean and rarely affect the mainland of the US, but are attacked by Mexico’s west coast.
