The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which commenced on June 1st, has concluded with unprecedented meteorological records and catastrophic impacts across the Caribbean region. This exceptionally active season produced thirteen named tropical storms, five of which intensified into hurricanes, with four reaching major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher).
Notably, three of these powerful systems achieved Category 5 classification on the Saffir-Simpson scale—the most intense hurricane category—marking only the second occurrence of such ferocity since the landmark 2005 season which saw four Category 5 hurricanes.
The season’s most devastating storm, Hurricane Melissa, has been recorded as the third most powerful Atlantic hurricane in historical records, surpassed only by 1988’s Gilbert and 2005’s Wilma. Meteorologists documented Melissa’s extraordinary wind gusts reaching 405 km/h (252 mph) during its passage through the Caribbean—the strongest wind speed ever recorded in the Atlantic basin and the second highest globally.
The tropical trio of Erin, Humberto, and Melissa all achieved Category 5 status, with Melissa leaving particularly widespread destruction across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The season commenced with Tropical Storm Andrea forming on June 23rd, with meteorological services additionally tracking thirteen tropical depressions throughout the six-month season.