The heart of hurricane season has been uncharacteristically quiet, and that lull has prompted AccuWeather to adjust its forecast for the number of storms expected in 2025.
"Unusual surges of dry air, Saharan dust, disruptive wind shear, cooler water temperatures off the western coast of Africa and other atmospheric conditions have hampered multiple tropical waves from developing into tropical storms or hurricanes, during what are typically the peak weeks of tropical activity in the Atlantic basin," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva explained.
A satellite image of Erin around the time it was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean. (NOAA)
Forecasters now expect 13 to 16 named storms and six to nine hurricanes this year. That's the first revision to the tropical forecast since March, when the call was for 13 to 18 named storms and seven to 10 hurricanes.
However, the overall U.S. risk has not changed. AccuWeather still projects that three to six storms will make landfall or come close enough to cause major impacts. This count includes Chantal, which made landfall in South Carolina in July, and Erin, which hammered East Coast beaches in August.
