Another devastating hurricane season is likely on its way, according to leading weather researchers at Colorado State University.
CSU released its initial extended-range forecast for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which officially begins June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30 – although some December hurricanes have been seen in recent years.
According to the report, the possibility for potential hurricanes making landfall is above average as the research team called for 17 named storms. Of those, nine are expected to become hurricanes and four could become “major,” meaning Category 3 status or higher with winds reaching at least 111 miles per hour.
“We anticipate an above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean,” CSU senior research scientist Dr. Phil Klotzbach noted to FOX Weather after the report was released.
As for the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle westward through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and ending in Brownsville, Texas, there is a 33% chance of a major hurricane making landfall. That’s above the 27% average across 42 years of CSU researchers issuing seasonal hurricane forecasts.
If there is a silver lining, according to CSU, sea surface temperatures across the eastern and central Atlantic are not as warm as this time last year. Warmer Atlantic temperatures typically lead to more intense hurricanes.
In 2024, the Atlantic had 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. Mississippi experienced one hurricane, Francine, which made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane before crossing into Mississippi as a tropical depression.
Residents of coastal Mississippi and other hurricane-prone areas are encouraged to make thorough preparations in anticipation of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has a page dedicated to hurricane preparedness, including key tips, on its website.
