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Quality, not quantity, defined the 2025 hurricane season

Three category 5 storms formed in the Atlantic basin

2025 hurricane season

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s all over. For the first time since 2015, Florida did not see direct impacts from a tropical storm or hurricane.

It’s also been 10 years since the U.S. went an entire season without a hurricane landfall.

2025 hurricane season tracks and intensity

Tropical Storm Chantal, however, did make landfall in South Carolina in early July. Its rainfall brought major flooding to portions of Central North Carolina.

The most impactful storm of the 2025 hurricane season was, of course, Hurricane Melissa.

2025 hurricane season

Melissa was one of three category 5 storms in the Atlantic this season-only the second time in recorded history that has ever occurred.

Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as one of the strongest hurricanes on record for the Atlantic basin with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph at landfall.

For the season, 13 named storms formed, with five of those becoming hurricanes. Four storms went on to become major hurricanes, reaching category 3 status or greater.

2025 hurricane season vs pre-season forecast

By number of named storms, this was the first below-average season since 2015.

This was on the low side of the National Hurricane Center’s pre-season forecast. The NHC does not forecast the number of landfalls, just named storms.

By intensity, the season was above average, helped along by the four major hurricanes.

The first three hurricanes that formed during the 2025 season all became major hurricanes - the first time that has happened since 1935.

Accumulated Cyclone Energy for 2025 hurricane season.

Intensity is measured by Accumulated Cyclone Energy or ACE. ACE measures the strength and longevity of the storm.

Thankfully, with the exception of Melissa, the storm track featured tracks away from land.


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