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Tropical weather experts, alongside national, state and health officials, are encouraging residents to prepare for the severe weather that comes with hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
How bad will this hurricane season be?
Experts at Colorado State University's (CSU) Department of Atmospheric Science said in early April that they expect "an above average Atlantic hurricane season" in 2025, with about 17 named storms, nine of which will grow into hurricanes, and four of those will grow into major hurricanes. The categories are based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
They said in a statement that the forecast is in part based on measurements that indicate that the eastern Atlantic Ocean is now warmer than usual for the springtime.
"A warm Atlantic favors an above-average season, since a hurricane’s fuel source is warm ocean water," they explained. "Additionally, a warm Atlantic leads to lower atmospheric pressure and a more unstable atmosphere. Both conditions favor hurricane formation."
The team added that there was a 56% chance of a major hurricane striking Caribbean communities, and a 51% chance of a major hurricane making landfall anywhere on the U.S. coastline. They said there was a 26% chance of a major storm striking the East Coast, including the Florida Panhandle.
They also said that the Gulf Coast — from Brownsville to the Florida Panhandle — faced a 33% chance of experiencing a major hurricane.
The CSU experts will issue updated forecasts on June 11, July 9 and Aug. 6 as the season unfolds.
What will the storms be named?
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) selected 21 names for the storms that develop in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico in 2025. Tropical depressions receive numbers. Tropical storms and hurricanes receive names.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) went several steps further — posting not just this year's names but also names through 2030, along with a useful pronunciation guide.
There were so many storms in 2005 and 2020 that the WMO ran out of names, and it resorted to the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.) to name additional tropical storms and hurricanes. The WMO decided that starting in 2021 if that happened again, it would just use a supplemental list of names.
The NHC explained that several names have been retired because those storms were "so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for obvious reasons of sensitivity."
How can people in the San Antonio region get ready?
San Antonio may be two hours from the Gulf Coast, but recent years have tragically demonstrated how quickly a tropical tempest can cross that distance and threaten communities in Central and South Texas.
So the Texas Department of Public Safety reminds residents to prepare an emergency kit or go bag for themselves and their families — enough for three days for each person, at least.
The kit should include plenty of water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, seven days' worth of medications, a first aid kit (including something that can treat burns and cuts), flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio, a solar-powered battery to charge phones and other electronics, personal hygiene items, and cash.
It should also include important documents (including copes of a property deeds, renters' leases, passports, car titles, birth certificates and insurance forms — either in a sealed plastic bag or a flash drive).
Experts who spoke with NPR suggested that to save money, instead of buying a general kit, people should consider first printing out a checklist and then gathering up items from around the house and from friends and family. Most items needed for a kit can also be found on eBay, at yard sales, in vintage shops, or in stores' clearance sections.
Build the kits over time (while there's still time), checking off items as they're added or upgraded. A personalized kit that addresses each person's specific needs is ideal.
Store the kits/go bags in a closet where they can be easily pulled out. Sometimes in an emergency people must move quickly and have only moments to think clearly. So ensure everyone knows where they are kept.
Drivers should identify at least two routes they could take — a primary route and a backup route — to escape looming extreme weather. People should also keep in mind the special needs of elderly or disabled loved ones or neighbors when they are considering evacuation.
Ensure everyone has everyone else's contact information. Make sure everyone knows where to meet if the group is separated. Make sure children know who to reach out to if they're cut off from relatives.
Don't forget about pets. Before hurricane season begins, ensure they have all their vaccinations (along with documentation) and up to date prescriptions for any medications. Take a photo of the pet. Ensure they have collar with their ID.
When moving with the pets, ensure they are in carriers large enough for them to stand up. Bring along materials to clean up after them. Ensure they have plenty of food and water too. Assume after a storm that any other water sources are unsafe to drink.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also offered some useful disaster related advice. A collection of articles, videos and other resources counseled consumers about how to avoid scams as they prepare and how to rebuild finances after enduring severe weather emergency, among other topics. The FTC's advice came in multiple languages, including Ukrainian, Spanish, Tagalog and Arabic.
Emergency kits and go bags also make good, practical gifts for people moving into a new home, or for graduating students, or for new couples.
Here are some other useful guides:
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- American Red Cross (a printable PDF)
- Texas Department of State Health Services offers both an online checklist and printable PDF checklist.
- National Weather Service Houston/Galveston Hurricane Guide (specific to the area but still somewhat useful)
Are beachgoers at risk even if the storm is not a direct threat?
Even if tropical weather is not headed toward Texas, people visiting the beach should be careful. Tides may be higher than usual, and currents may be stronger, posing risks to swimmers and surfers.
Also, keep in mind that in recent years tropical weather in the Gulf may have indirectly led to shark attacks. In 2024, when Hurricane Beryl swirled in the Gulf, at least four shark related incidents — including at least two shark bites — were reported off South Padre Island during the Fourth of July holiday.
At the time, Kesley Banks, a research scientist at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, explained to Houston Public Media (HPM) that large coastal sharks may increase their feeding behavior just before meteorological disturbances strike coastal communities, according to a recent study from Florida.
“Sharks can predict a hurricane before us," she said. "They’re obviously increasing feeding prior to a hurricane just like we prep before a large meteorological disturbance. Likely it is just a case of mistaken identity during that increase feeding behavior prior to the storm.”
Their intensified activity overlaps with large numbers of people enjoying summertime waters. They investigate by bumping the potential prey with their sandpaper-like skin, injuring the human with a scrape, or by taking an exploratory bite with razor sharp teeth, leading to serious wounds and blood loss.
A statement from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department from the time explained that "shark encounters of this nature are not a common occurrence in Texas. When bites from sharks do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food. ... If you see large schools of bait near the shore, this typically an indicator a predator is nearby, or if you see a shark in the water, calmly exit the water and wait for the predatory wildlife to pass."
Houston Public Media's Spencer Plato contributed to this report.
