AccuWeather 2025 hurricane season forecast: What to expect from MS weather, see storm names
Bonnie Bolden- The 2025 hurricane season is predicted to be active with potentially 18 named storms, 10 becoming hurricanes, and 3-5 of those becoming major hurricanes.
- Warm water temperatures in the Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean could contribute to the rapid intensification of storms.
- While the La Niña and El Niño effects are uncertain, they could potentially influence storm activity later in the season.
- AccuWeather projections indicate a possibility of multiple storms hitting near the Louisiana-Mississippi border.
- Experts advise being prepared for potential hurricane impacts, including storm surges, wind, flooding and tornadoes.
The 2025 hurricane season could be active with rapidly strengthening storms that hit land, according to the new early forecast from AccuWeather.
AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva predicts 2025 could have "volatile hurricanes," following the supercharged season we had in 2024.
Forecasters are looking at a variety of factors, like the potential for warm water in the Atlantic that could lead to stronger storms. The cycle between La Niña and El Niño in the Pacific could also play a role in conditions this summer and fall.
Multiple storms could hit near the Louisiana-Mississippi border, according to AccuWeather projections. Here's what you need to know to be ready in the Magnolia State.
What will the 2025 hurricane season look like?
AccuWeather is calling for an season with the at least the average number of storms, if not more. The forecast includes up to 18 named storms. They expect up to 10 to become hurricanes and three to five of those to become major hurricanes. Three to six direct U.S. impacts could occur.
The water in the Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean this year is already warm. "This will prime storms for explosive development," AccuWeather warned.
DaSilva said we're likely to see more storms with rapid intensification. That's when storms get a lot stronger suddenly before landfall thanks to a store of water that's warmer than usual.
"A deep pool of warm water provides much more fuel for hurricanes than a shallow layer of warmth near the ocean's surface," he said.
The season could start fast, Da Silva said. A storm could be named before the official season start, but that doesn't mean the end of the season can't be busy.
Do La Niña and El Niño affect hurricane season? Can they make storms worse?
La Niña and El Niño take place in the Pacific Ocean but can affect the Atlantic storm season through the summer and fall.
La Niña is a natural climate pattern in which the ocean's seawater cools in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the National Weather Service. It occurs normally every 3-5 years and can have a significant impact on the weather, such as worsening the Atlantic hurricane season.
El Niño, however, leads to warmer water in the same region and can also factor into Atlantic storm season.
According to AccuWeather, neither should be in effect for the early months of the Atlantic hurricane season, but that could shift in September through November.
Da Silva said a La Niña might lead to more active storms later, but El Niño could help cut the season short.
Could a hurricane hit in, near Mississippi?
According to the AccuWeather forecast map, yes. It's possible the Magnolia State could be affected by the 2025 hurricane season.
A map of potential landfall locations shows three spots where hurricanes might make landfall and affect Mississippi. One appears to be on the coast, along the border with Louisiana.
Another two are low on the toe of the Louisiana boot. A hurricane path heading northeast from those points would likely go through Mississippi.
But remember that landfall isn't the only worry with a hurricane. Storm surges, wind, flooding and tornadoes can pair with a storm well into its journey over landlocked areas.
More 2025 hurricane season predictions
Colorado State University will release it's outlook in early April. The forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's is expected in May.
WeatherBell Analytics LLC already issued its 2025 early forecast, calling for a more sedate hurricane season than 2024. Their analyst compares it to 2018 and said El Niño isn't likely to be a large factor. Key differences when compared to the AccuWeather forecast are fewer hurricanes and major storms.
The WeatherBell predictions call for:
- Named storms: 15-19.
- Hurricanes: 7-9.
- Major Hurricanes: 2-3.
"The Atlantic is much cooler than last year, and the swath of warmer water is shown to the north. This suggests less activity in the Main Development Region, but the potential for rapid feedback farther to the north and in close to the coast is there, so it will be a different look, with its own share of issues," the forecast reads.
The Tropical Storm Risk, based in the United Kingdom, has a very early forecast calling for 15 named storms; seven of those will be hurricanes. They expect a near-average season.
2024 hurricane season recap
The 2024 hurricane season was one of the deadliest in decades. Five hurricanes killed at least 400 people.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted 17 to 25 named storms and eight to 13 hurricanes.
“We ended up with 18 named storms and 11 hurricanes, so right in the middle,” Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA’s lead for the seasonal hurricane outlook, said in a November interview with USA TODAY.
There were also five major hurricanes, according to NOAA data. Some set records. Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 in the Atlantic on record. Hurricane Milton was the most rapidly intensifying storm in the Atlantic. Hurricane Helene devastated regions that don't normally get hurricanes and killed more than 300.
Look back at 2024 hurricane season
What is the current Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1 and lasts until Nov. 30. It peaks around Sept. 10.
Rosencrans noted that May 10 to Nov. 30 usually covers 99% of all activity for the season, though there can occasionally be some tropical activity in December.
Countdown to the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season
Is there a hurricane season in the Pacific?
The Eastern Pacific hurricane season starts on May 15 and lasts until Nov. 30.
How do they pick hurricane names?
Male and female storm names are rotated every six years from predetermined lists created by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
What are the 2025 Atlantic hurricane names?
Here are the 21 names for the Atlantic list:
- Andrea (AN-dree uh)
- Barry (BAIR-ree)
- Chantal (shahn-TAHL)
- Dexter (DEHK-ster): replaces Dorian, which was retired after 2019 season
- 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 (sus-BASH-chuhn)
- Tanya (TAHN-yuh)
- Van (van)
- Wendy (WEN-dee)
What are the names of the Pacific storms?
Here are the 24 names on the Eastern Pacific list:
- Alvin (AL-vin)
- Barbara (BAR-bruh)
- Cosme (COS-may)
- Dalila (dah-LY-lah)
- Erick (EHR-ik)
- Flossie (FLOSS-ee)
- Gil (gill)
- Henriette (hen-ree-ETT)
- Ivo (eye-VOH)
- Juliette (jew-lee-EHT)
- Kiko (KEE-ko)
- Lorena (low-RAY-na)
- Mario (MAR-ee-o)
- Narda (NAHR-duh)
- Octave (AHK-tayv)
- Priscilla (prih-SIH-luh)
- Raymond (RAY-mund)
- Sonia (SOHN-yah)
- Tico (TEE-koh)
- Velma (VELL-muh)
- Wallis (WAHL-lis)
- Xina (ZEE-nah)
- York (york)
- Zelda (ZEL-dah)
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Contributing: Doyle Rice, Cheryl McCloud, Vanessa Countryman and Saleen Martin
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.