While hurricane season doesn't start until June, researchers are already predicting an above-average season this year.
Research from Colorado State University indicates that the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will see 17 named storms in total. Nine will become hurricanes, four of which will be major with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or greater.
According to CSU, "when waters in the eastern subtropical Atlantic are much warmer than normal in the spring, it tends to force a weaker subtropical high and associated weaker winds blowing across the tropical Atlantic. These conditions will likely lead to a continuation of above-average water temperatures across most of the tropical Atlantic for the peak of the 2025 hurricane season."
They added that a warm Atlantic leads to lower atmospheric pressure and a more unstable atmosphere, and both conditions favor hurricane formation.
In Feb. 2025, NOAA released its list of tropical cyclone names for this year's season, including Andrea, Barry and Chantal.
Last year, the Atlantic basin saw 18 named storms. Eleven became hurricanes, and five grew into major hurricanes.
Three storms, in particular, left a lasting impact on Florida: Debby, Milton, and Helene. Milton was the first direct hit for Tampa Bay in a century. It peaked as a Category 5 storm, making it the second Category 5 storm of the 2024 season. It was also the strongest tropical cyclone in the world in 2024 when winds hit 180 miles per hour.
In April, the World Meteorological Organization announced that they would retire the Helene and Milton hurricane names due to their devastating impacts in 2024.
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Drivers hit with school bus camera fines in Polk County are frustrated that they must first pay more before appealing their ticket.
