UNITED STATES – 26 SEPTEMBER 2024: Satellite view of Category 4 Hurricane Helene making landfall in Florida, USA. The storm has caused significant economic disruptions, including halted oil in the Gulf Coast, and the closure of schools, government offices, and various businesses. Relief efforts are underway to assist affected communities, restore power, and mitigate further economic impact. Imaged 26 September 2024. (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024)
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is 50 days away from this weekend, and there's a new name to add to the list of storms.
The season lasts from June 1 until Nov. 30.
Here's a look back at 2024 and a look ahead at what to expect in 2025.
Looking back at 2024
The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season was the third costliest on record, costing around $200 billion in damage and killing nearly 450 people. There were 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. The most notable hurricanes were Beryl, Helene and Milton.
Look ahead to 2025
While the National Hurricane Center doesn’t release its official seasonal forecast until May 15, Colorado State University has released an early outlook for 2025 with 17 named storms, none of which are hurricanes, and four of those are major hurricanes. The average number of named storms is 14.
Weather
The main driver of an above-average hurricane season expected again this year is warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures (SST). Although SST aren’t as high as they were at this time in 2024, the numbers are still above average.
Another driver for hurricane prediction is the ENSO status, also known as El Niño or La Niña. The La Niña from this winter has already ended and we're expected to remain in between phases, or ENSO neutral, through the summer months.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
El Niño usually means a less active hurricane season, and La Niña is more active. There is no significant driving factor in the forecast for ENSO neutral.
Hurricane storm names
2025 Atlantic Hurricane storm names:
The list of names is reused every six years. When a hurricane is too deadly or too costly, the committee in the World Meteorological Organizations can retire the name and replace it. This year, a new “D” name is on the list: Dexter, replacing Hurricane Dorian from 2019.
If all 21 names are used in a season, the next named storm goes to a “supplemental list.”
Prior to 2020, the Greek Alphabet was used.
Here’s the list of all of the Atlantic storm names, including the supplemental list from the WMO.
