2025 Atlantic hurricane benchmarks

 

Hurricane Humberto, September 2025 (Source: NOAA)

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has already featured nine tropical storms and three hurricanes. While none of the hurricanes made landfall, the United States did feel indirect impacts from Hurricane Erin with rip currents and coastal erosion up and down the East Coast.

Several notable benchmarks have been set this hurricane season. The three hurricanes so far – Erin, Gabrielle and Humberto – were each major hurricanes. That’s the first time since 1935 the first three hurricanes of the Atlantic season were major ones.  A “major” hurricane is defined as a Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

Hurricanes Erin and Humberto became Category 5 storms. That made last season and this season (2024-2025) the first time two Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes occurred in consecutive years since 1932-1933.

Category 5 hurricanes only form under the rarest of circumstances. However, they have occurred more recently over the last decade with 12 in the Atlantic Ocean. There has been at least one Category 5 hurricane during every season over the last nine years, except 2020 and 2021. For example, Hurricane Michael was a Category 5 storm when it made landfall in the United States in 2018. Also, 2022’s Hurricane Ian was just under Category 5 strength when it made landfall in Florida.

The current period of more frequent Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes is similar to a period from 2003 – 2007. A total of eight occurred during that five-year period and included storms like Isabel, Ivan, Katrina and Rita. Although none were Category 5 storms at their respective times of landfall, they were still destructive and deadly. 

In conclusion, Hurricanes Erin and Humberto combined to make this season one of only eight in the last century that multiple Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes have developed.