Hurricane season 2025: What to know, safety tips and how to prepare
Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30. Peak activity occurs between mid-August and mid-October.
September is the most active month of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.A tropical wave in the Atlantic has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression this week.The current hurricane season has been relatively quiet for the U.S. East Coast, with no landfalling storms so far.Hurricane Lorena in the Pacific is not expected to have any direct impact on North Carolina or the East Coast.Officials recommend preparing for hurricanes now by creating evacuation plans, assembling supplies, and checking insurance coverage.
September is the most active month of the Atlantic hurricane season, with the peak arriving Sept. 10.
The tropics have been relatively kind to the East Coast this year, especially compared with last year, when this point of the season had already witnessed several landfall events.
So far, this season has produced six named storms, none of which have made U.S. landfall.
But activity is expected to ramp up, and as of Sept. 4, the tropical wave in the Atlantic has a high chance for development over the next seven days and is likely to become a tropical depression later this week or over the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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Is Invest 91L headed to North Carolina? See path
Invest 91L: Showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave located over the eastern tropical Atlantic several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands have started to consolidate and become slightly better organized. Environmental conditions are conducive for development of this system during the next several days, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this week or this weekend over central tropical Atlantic while moving slowly toward the west-northwest at 5 to 10 mph. The system is likely to move faster toward the west or west-northwest thereafter and reach the waters east of the Lesser Antilles by the middle of next week.Formation chance through 48 hours: medium, 60%.Formation chance through seven days: high, 90%.
Another tropical wave:
A tropical wave just east of the Lesser Antilles is near 59W from 21N southward, and moving west around 11 mph.
It’s too early at this time to determine if there will be any impact to North Carolina or the U.S. from the tropical waves.
Invest 91L spaghetti modelsWill Hurricane Lorena impact North Carolina?
Hurricane Lorena was undergoing weakening in the Pacific Ocean as a Category 1 storm the morning of Sept. 4 but is still poised to bring heavy rainfall and the chance of flash flooding to parts of the Southwestern United States, forecasters said.
Lorena’s center will remain far to the south and west, and its remnant moisture is not expected to reach North Carolina. While the storm’s moisture may influence weather patterns in the Southwest, the National Hurricane Center does not anticipate any direct impacts on the East Coast from Lorena.
Residents in North Carolina can continue to monitor forecasts, but at this time, the state is not at risk from Lorena’s rainfall or winds.
Spaghetti models for Hurricane LorenaHow does the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season compared to last year in North Carolina?
For North Carolina, the season has been quiet so far, following a similar pattern to 2024, although Hurricane Erin brought some significant impacts to the Outer Banks..
Around this time last year, Tropical Storm Debby brought heavy rain, flash flooding, tropical storm–force wind gusts, minor coastal flooding and three weak tornadoes to southeastern North Carolina after making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Aug. 5, 2024, and then a second landfall in South Carolina’s Bulls Bay between Charleston and Georgetown early on Aug. 8, 2024.
By late September, the state tracked Tropical Storm Helene, which caused flash floods, landslides and hundreds of fatalities after moving through the Appalachians.
So far, no storms have directly affected the state, but Colorado State researchers say North Carolina has one of the highest odds of seeing impacts from a hurricane or named storm this season — second only to Florida.
When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said.
The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.
The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
Prepare now for hurricanes
Delaying potentially life-saving preparations could mean waiting until it’s too late. “Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period,” NOAA recommends.
Develop an evacuation plan: If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.Assemble disaster supplies: Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering-in-place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy aftermath, NOAA said.Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions: Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for it. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent, or the National Flood Insurance Program. Act now, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.Create a family communication plan: NOAA said to take the time now to write down your hurricane plan, and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places, and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation.Strengthen your home: Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricane impacts. Trim trees; install storm shutters, accordion shutters, and/or impact glass; seal outside wall openings.North Carolina weather radar
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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com.