2025 hurricane season will start with Andrea. See list of names and how you can prepare now

It may be hard to believe, but there are less than 100 days before the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Early predictions for 2024 were for an extremely active season, but La Niña didn't develop when expected and subsequent forecasts decreased the number expected number of storms, despite record warm water temperatures.

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That doesn't mean there weren't any hurricanes. The 2024 season was above the historical average, and Florida took a big hit. Make that hits.

Three hurricanes hit the Sunshine State in 2024, and two of them were major hurricanes, which are those that are Category 3 or stronger.

Early predictions for the 2025 season will be released over the next couple of months but here's a look back on the 2024 season and what you can do now to prepare.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

The National Hurricane Center begins posting a tropical outlook, showing any system with potential of developing, on May 15.

If anything shows potential of developing into a tropical cyclone prior to that date — which has happened — forecasters post special outlooks or advisories about it on the Hurricane Center's website.

The Atlantic basin consists of the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, which is now known as the Gulf of America, per an order from President Trump. The National Hurricane Center and its maps reflect the new name.

Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, along with how to pronounce them:

• Andrea: AN-dree uh
• Barry: BAIR-ree
• Chantal: shahn-TAHL
• Dexter: DEHK-ster
• 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: se-BAS-tee-en
• Tanya: TAHN-yuh
• Van: van
• Wendy: WEN-dee

Because of the difficulty of selecting six suitable names — one for each of the six lists — there are no names for Q, U, X, Y and Z, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Hurricane names are decided upon by the WMO.

There are six lists, with 21 names on each list. The six lists are used in rotation. So names used in 2025 won't be used again in 2031. The exception is if the WMO retires a name from the list.

"The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity," according to the WMO.

The nation hit hardest by a storm can request its name be removed. If a storm name is retired from the Atlantic's list, member countries of the WMO from that region select a new name.

For Atlantic storms, the name can be French, Spanish or English, reflecting the languages of residents of countries that could be hit by a hurricane. 

If all 21 names on the list for that year are used, names from a supplemental list are used.

The supplemental list, also approved by the WMO, replaced the use of names using the Greek alphabet in 2021. Forecasters have used the Greek alphabet twice, in 2005 and 2020.

In 2005, six names from the Greek alphabet were used. In 2020, with its record 30 named storms, nine names from the Greek alphabet were used.

For Atlantic storms, the supplemental list of names are:

• Adria
• Braylen
• Caridad
• Deshawn
• Emery
• Foster
• Gemma
• Heath
• Isla
• Jacobus
• Kenzie
• Lucio
• Makayla
• Nolan
• Orlanda
• Pax
• Ronin
• Sophie
• Tayshaun
• Viviana
• Will

There were 18 named storms during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service.

• Eleven became hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or greater.
• Five intensified to major hurricanes, with winds of 111 mph or greater, which are Category 3 or higher storms. 

That's above the historical average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Preparation is important for anyone living where tropical cyclones are possible and that starts well before the beginning of the season June 1. The Florida Department of Emergency Management offered these suggestions to get you started:

• Make a plan: Make a plan that is specific to the needs of your household, including children, pets and seniors.
• Know your zone:  Is your home in an evacuation zone or flood-prone area? Go to Know Your Zone and enter your address to find out and learn the differences between various evacuation zones. Zone A is the most vulnerable and the most likely to be asked to evacuate first.

➤ Do you know if you live in a Florida evacuation zone? Here's how to find out

• Know your home: How strong is your home? Do you live in a manufactured home? Is your home able to withstand strong winds and heavy rain? Generally, homes built after 2002 include features that make them more resilient to hurricanes. There are also improvements you can make to your home now to strengthen it against future storms.
  • Make needed repairs to your home now, including to the roof, windows and gutters
  • Cut down dead trees or limbs.
  • Check your shutters. If you need new plywood, start gathering and cutting that to size now.

• Have multiple ways to receive weather alerts: You'll want to stay informed at all times so have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Officials encourage every household to have a battery-operated or hand-crank weather radio to receive alerts from the National Weather Service in the event of power outages or damaged cell towers.
  • Sign up now for local emergency alerts at FloridaDisaster.org/AlertFlorida
  • Sign up to get weather alerts via text from USA Today Network-Florida
• Restock your disaster supply kit:  A disaster supply kit is essential. Make sure there is enough food, water and medicine to last each member of a household (including pets) for at least seven days. For a checklist of recommended supplies, visit FloridaDisaster.org/Kit.

And another suggestion from us: If you've considered getting a generator, now is the time to get one, whether it's portable or the in-house generators that can automatically come on during a power outage.

➤ Looking to buy a generator? From types to cost, here are 7 things you should know

Five hurricanes made landfall in the continental U.S., with two storms making landfall as major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton all made landfall in Florida in 2024.

Hurricane Debby

• Landfall: 7 a.m. Aug. 5 near Steinhatchee
• Strength at landfall: Category 1, sustained winds of 80 mph
• NOAA report on Hurricane Debby NWS report on Debby.

Hurricane Helene

• Landfall: 11:25 p.m., Sept. 26, near Perry
• Strength at landfall: Category 4, sustained winds of 140 mph
• NOAA report on Hurricane Helene; NWS report on Hurricane Helene
• Special notes: While Helene had a huge impact in Florida, including storm surge flooding, unprecedented flooding washed away entire buildings and dramatically changed the landscape of some mountain towns across the southern Appalachians and North Carolina.

Hurricane Milton

• Landfall: 8:30 p.m., Oct. 9, near Siesta Key
• Strength: Category 3, sustained winds of 120 mph
• NOAA report on Hurricane Milton; NWS report on Milton
• Special note: A tornado outbreak associated with Milton produced 46 tornadoes and caused torrential rainfall and localized flooding with total rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches (and higher). Milton produced a destructive storm surge between Siesta Key and Fort Myers Beach.

Use the slider to compare the old cone of concern to the experimental version posted by the National Hurricane Center for Hurricane Helene.

In August 2024, the National Hurricane Center began posting a new cone of concern with its storm advisories.

Along with displaying where the eye of a storm is expected to be over specific intervals, the new experimental cone showed watches and warnings issued for interior counties.

NHC scientists are evaluating public feedback to determine the future of the new cone graphic.

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