WeatherBell Analytics - a company based in New York, USA, specializing in helping businesses manage weather risks - has predicted a very bad 2024 storm season.
At the time, WeatherBell's hurricane bulletin wrote: "A terrible hurricane season is forming in 2024. It is necessary to prepare for activities at a very high level in areas that have not basically occurred in 2023".
WeatherBell then forecasts 25 to 30 named storms, 14 to 16 hurricanes, and 6 to 8 major hurricanes in the 2024 hurricane season. The company also forecasts the areas most likely to be hit during the 2024 hurricane season as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
In fact, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has caused catastrophic damage, with 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes. In addition, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are most affected during the hurricane season, with many super typhoons such as Beryl, Francine, Helene, Milton and Rafael all affecting the area.
Chron.com points out that although it is only February, forecasters in all fields have begun to make forecasts for the Atlantic hurricane season.
After a historic year 2024, WeatherBell said in its 2025 hurricane forecast that this year's hurricane season "will have less impact" than last year.
"Unlike last year, there are currently no clear signs of areas that may be directly affected," WeatherBell's hurricane bulletin stated.
The 2025 forecast, based on the general trend of Atlantic sea surface temperatures, is for 15-19 named storms, 7-9 hurricanes and 2-3 major hurricanes.
WeatherBell forecasters note that cooler conditions in the Atlantic make the 2025 hurricane season generally weaker.
"The temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean have dropped significantly since last year, and a warmer strip of water has emerged in the north. This shows that activities in the main storm area are developing less, but there are still concerns about the possibility of the storm developing rapidly in areas further north and near the coast. Therefore, the development of this storm season will be different but there are still similar characteristics to last year's storm season" - WeatherBell's bulletin stated.
WeatherBell said the most likely storm forecast for 2025 is the 2018 hurricane season, with few making landfall in the Gulf of Mexico. However, this season also has Hurricane Beryl affecting the Lesser Antilles before moving north into the Atlantic.
