Coast Guard Warns Florida and Nearby Regions Ahead of Hurricane Season

The United States Coast Guard has issued a warning to boaters and residents in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, urging them to ready themselves for the 2025 hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. In a press release, they emphasized the necessity of taking preventative measures before a storm strikes and provided several tips to safeguard lives and property:

Understand your hurricane risk: Hurricanes are not only a coastal issue. Rain, winds, flooding, and tornadoes can impact areas far from where a storm makes landfall.

Develop an emergency plan: Include the entire family, as well as workplaces, childcare centers, businesses, and boats. Have an evacuation strategy in place and ensure that your vessel can be moved swiftly if Port Condition Yankee is announced.

Know your evacuation zone: Identify routes, practice with your family and pets, and adhere to local authority instructions.

Acknowledge warnings and alerts: Install apps like FEMA and enable alerts on your mobile device. Stay vigilant for announcements from the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).

Furthermore, the Coast Guard will update port conditions before storms arrive via their official website and social media channels in various sectors, including Charleston, Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Miami, Key West, and San Juan.

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center forecasts a busier-than-usual season, with a 60% chance of above-normal activity, a 30% likelihood of a near-normal season, and only a 10% chance of a below-normal season. The report, released on May 22, projects the formation of 13 to 19 named storms, with 6 to 10 potentially becoming hurricanes, and 3 to 5 reaching major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher).

Active Hurricane Season Expected for Cuba

On May 7, the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) released its official forecast for the 2025 hurricane season, anticipating active conditions favorable for the formation of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. The report predicts a total of 15 tropical cyclones, with 8 possibly becoming hurricanes. Of these, 10 are expected in the Atlantic, 3 in the Caribbean, and 2 in the Gulf of Mexico.

The report warns of a high (75%) likelihood of at least one hurricane originating and intensifying in the Caribbean, and a moderate (50%) chance of a hurricane from the Atlantic entering the Caribbean. INSMET also cautioned that there is a 70% probability of at least one tropical storm impacting Cuba directly, which exceeds historical averages. The probability of a hurricane striking the island stands at 35%.