Perhaps the most notable storm of the season was Hurricane Melissa which struck Jamaica as a category 5 storm, with preliminary estimates putting the cost of the damage at $6-7bn ($4.5-5.2bn).
It also caused extensive damage in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Erin and Humberto were the other category 5 storms, with Gabrielle completing the list of major hurricanes as a category 4.
In spite of all this activity in the Atlantic, the continental USA had a lucky escape with no hurricanes making landfall in 2025. Only one tropical storm touched down – Chantal, which affected the Carolinas in July.
Another notable feature of the 2025 hurricane season was the significant lull in activity that occurred around the time of year when storms would typically peak.
No storms formed between 24 August and 16 September – the first time that has happened since 1992.
It shows that forecasting hurricane seasons is complex.
Even active seasons can have notably quiet interludes, while below-average years can still produce devastating hurricanes.
The official forecast will be updated as the season unfolds.
