Bumpy flight into Hurricane Milton on NOAA's WP-3D aircraft known as 'Miss Piggy' on Oct. 8, 2024.
Bumpy flight into Hurricane Milton on NOAA's WP-3D aircraft known as Miss Piggy on Oct. 8, 2024. Credit Nick Underwood
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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1: Here's what to know
Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1: Here's what to know In the Atlantic Basin, hurricane season lasts from June 1 until Nov. 30. Historically, 97% of all tropical cyclones in the Atlantic will form between those two dates. Show Caption Hide Caption NOAA predicts at least three hurricanes this season NOAA predicts the three major hurricanes in the 2025 hurricane season. It's here. The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday, June 1. Forecasts say the season will bring months of danger for millions of Americans, and the time to prepare starts well before the storms form. In the Atlantic Basin, which includes storms that form in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America (formerly known as Gulf of Mexico), hurricane season lasts from June 1 until Nov. 30. Historically, 97% of all tropical cyclones in the Atlantic will form between those two dates. In the eastern Pacific Basin, hurricane season started on May 15 and lasts until Nov. 30. (Tropical Storm Alvin formed in the the eastern Pacific Ocean on May 29, becoming the first named storm anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere this year.) Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the most dangerous storms can quickly explode in intensity, so understanding forecasts, hurricane dangers and preparedness should be top-of-mind for residents well before storms start forming. Here's a primer on what to know as hurricane danger ramps up in 2025. When does hurricane season peak? The peak of the Atlantic season is typically from mid-August until mid-October. Hurricane season forecasts: How many storms are expected? NOAA, FEMA cuts will impact hurricane season, experts warn The Trump administration's budget cuts at NOAA and FEMA will have an adverse affect on how the U.S. responds to hurricanes, experts warn. Federal forecasters on May 22 predicted a 60% chance of an above average season. (A typical year averages about 14 tropical storms, seven of which spin into hurricanes, based on weather records that date from 1991 to 2020.) Specifically, NOAA is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 6 to 10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). Experts from Colorado State University said in their initial forecast released in early April that an active Atlantic hurricane season is likely. They predicted as many as 17 storms. Of those 17 storms, researchers said that nine will become hurricanes. A forecast from AccuWeather, which also came out in April, called for 13-18 named storms, of which 7-10 will be hurricanes. Last year, 18 storms formed, including devastating Hurricanes Helene and Milton. What state has the most hurricanes? Florida, by a wide margin. Since accurate hurricane records began in 1851, more than 120 hurricanes have made landfall in the state of Florida. Texas is second, with 66 hits. And according to NOAA, 40% of all U.S. hurricanes have hit Florida. How can you prepare for hurricane season? Check with your local government to see if you live in an evacuation zone. Have a plan for where you would go if you need to evacuate and share that plan with friends or loved ones. Plan to travel only as far as you need to. Write a family emergency plan with your family and/or close friends to decide how you would contact each other in an emergency, where you will go and what you will do. Keep copies on your phone, in your emergency supplies and share with family. Put together a basic emergency kit, with water and shelf stable foods for up to a week, flashlights, back up batteries, a first aid kit and moist towelettes. Review your insurance policies to ensure if you have adequate coverage, including flood coverage. Store insurance policies, photos of your home and its contents and other important papers in a safe place, in electronic files and/or share copies with family members. For more suggestions, visit NOAA's hurricane preparations page. What is rapid intensification? A rapid strengthening of a hurricane, when wind speeds increase by at least 35 mph in 24 hours. It occurs when a tropical storm or hurricane encounters an extremely conducive environment for strengthening, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. That environment consists of very warm water, low vertical wind shear and high levels of midlevel moisture. What is storm surge? Storm surge, the massive amount of water that builds up and comes ashore during a hurricane, is often the deadliest and most destructive threat from these storms. It is characterized by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds moving around the storm, NOAA said. Storm surge has accounted for about half of all the deaths in hurricanes since 1970, according to the National Hurricane Center. It caused most of the 1,800 deaths in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. What are the Atlantic hurricane names for 2025?
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Congresswoman calls on federal government amid cuts and start of 2025 hurricane season
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – One congresswoman said the federal government has taken a chainsaw to federal agencies that help you before, during, and after a hurricane. 'Right now, I cannot report that the federal government is there in every way that they were there last hurricane season, unfortunately,' said Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14). Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Castor said the federal government has taken a chainsaw to federal agencies that forecast, track, and respond to hurricanes. In addition, she does not have the confidence that FEMA will be there like they were following Debbie, Helene, and Milton. Castor called it new territory. 'I've never seen it this bad before, and I've lived here for 40 years,' said Nancy Biddle, St. Pete Beach homeowner. NHC watching area off Florida coast for potential tropical development Inspectors have determined Biddle will need to make major changes to storm-proof her St. Pete Beach property against future hurricanes. She applied for the Elevate Florida program in February. She is waiting to hear if help is on the way or if funding cuts could leave her high and dry.'The back and forth whether FEMA should exist at all, does not lend itself having full confidence that they are going to be the partner on the ground that we saw in the aftermath of Helene and Milton,' Castor said. The congresswoman is looking to local leaders to build confidence that the help people need will be there is hurricane season, but she said it's not enough as Floridians, like Biddle, are still waiting for assistance.'This, unfortunately, is reflected in the monies that they are withholding from local communities like St. Pete, Pinellas, Tampa, and Hillsborough as well,' Castor state is relying on $400 million in federal funds to pay for Elevate Florida, which stopped accepting new applications on April 11, citing funding limitations. That same day, the Federal Emergency Management Agency eliminated $300 million in funding for another program meant to help make communities across Florida less vulnerable to storms. It was called the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, or BRIC. In a statement, a FEMA spokesperson wrote: 'The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters.''FEMA can be more efficient, but calls to eliminate it and then to take a chainsaw 2,000 experts who understand how to respond to disasters across the country… this is new territory,' said is running out for Biddle.'If this, as the government program has ended, we're kind of right back where we started,' said Biddle. As of last month, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said Elevate Florida had not yet been funded. FEMA has not yet responded to our requests about Castor's comments. 8 On Your Side also reached out for comment to Rep. Gus Bilirakis' (R-FL) office about the federal cuts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
EPA, Park Service take big hits in latest Trump budget plan
The Trump administration's more detailed budget request seeks to decimate science, staffing and other programs at multiple environment-related federal agencies. Entities ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the National Park Service (NPS) would see deep and specific cuts under the less 'skinny' version of the administration's budget that was released late Friday. The EPA sees a 35 percent cut to the payroll for its science staff and for staff who work on environmental programs and environmental management. NPS sees a 30 percent cut to its staff in charge of park system operations. Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sees a 28 percent cut to its operations, research and facilities staff payroll. But it's not just staff that takes a hit. A number of offices related to energy and environmental research, as well as disaster response, are reduced or eliminated under the proposal. It completely zeroes out NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, for example, and also cuts federal assistance at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by 32 percent. Science and technology activities at the EPA would see a 33 percent cut, while environmental programs and environmental management at the agency would see an 18 percent cut. And the Energy Department would also see a 13 percent cut to its science office. The budget document also proposes to 'wind down' the department's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which was established in the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster emerging energy technologies including hydrogen power, carbon capture, advanced nuclear reactors, and batteries. 'This sick joke of a budget is a nonstarter,' said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, in a written statement. 'In no way can America continue to lead if Trump continues his vendetta against the scientific enterprise. While Trump slashes budgets for American research and innovation, our adversaries, like China, are popping champagne. I will do everything I can to stand in the way of this ridiculous plan.' In previous years, a White House budget request has been taken as more of a signal of an administration's priorities than a roadmap that's likely to be realized since it's Congress, not the administration, that has the power of the purse. The Trump administration, however, has signaled that it is willing to go further to challenge that authority, already instituting massive layoffs at many agencies and gearing up for more. And White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said over the weekend that the administration would consider 'impoundment' to get its agenda across the finish line. It's not entirely clear how the budget would play out politically, as cuts to programs such as NPS have been historically unpopular. The administration's calls for cuts to FEMA have also been met with mixed reviews even within the GOP, although the budget proposal stops short of the administration's broader calls to eliminate FEMA entirely. The document released late Friday gives additional color to a less detailed 'skinny budget' previously released by the administration. The skinny budget also proposed big cuts at similar agencies. The White House has described the cuts as an effort to take on the 'Green New Scam,' saying in a fact sheet that 'President Trump is committed to eliminating funding for the globalist climate agenda while unleashing American energy production.' The previously announced document called for a 55 percent cut to the EPA's overall budget and a 31 percent cut to the Interior Department, which houses the Park Service. It also called for transferring certain national park 'properties' to the states. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
