Georgians 'be prepared': NOAA predicts above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025
On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season (June 1 through Nov. 30). It doesn't look good:
NOAA is predicting a 60% chance of above-normal hurricane activity, 30% chance of near-normal conditions, and 10% chance of below-normal conditions. The agency is forecasting 13 to 19 named storms (which happens when winds reach 39 mph). Of those, 6-10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of at least 74 mph) including 3-5 major hurricane (at least a category 3 with winds of 111 mph or higher).
Experts at NOAA have 70% confidence in these forecasts, with National Weather Service Director Ken Graham saying in his 30 years at NWS, they have never had more advanced models and warning systems in place.
"This outlook is a call to action: Be prepared," Graham said. "Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you're ready before a storm threatens."
To get into the technical aspects, NOAA says this is due to a "confluence of factors" including ENSO-neutral conditions (essentially meaning average sea surface temperatures), warmer than average ocean temperatures, weak wind shear, higher activity from the West African Monsoon. This all tends to favor tropical storm formations.
Andrea: AN-dree uh
Barry: BAIR-ree
Chantal: shahn-TAHL
Dexter: DEHK-ster
Erin: AIR-rin
Fernand: fair-NAHN
Gabrielle: ga-bree-ELL
Humberto: oom-BAIR-toh
Imelda: ee-MEHL-dah
Jerry: JEHR-ee
Karen: KAIR-ren
Lorenzo: loh-REN-zoh
Melissa: meh-LIH-suh
Nestor: NES-tor
Olga: OAL-guh
Pablo: PAHB-lo
Rebekah: reh-BEH-kuh
Sebastien: se-BAS-tee-en
Tanya: TAHN-yuh
Van: van
Wendy: WEN-dee
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: NOAA predicts above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. What we know
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