, for example, became the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, and the only one to do so in June. It formed in the deep tropics, an area typically quiet until later in the season.


Experts attribute the early activity to record-breaking sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. These warm waters fuel storms that develop more quickly and more intensely. Meteorologists have observed that ocean heat content in the Atlantic is more typical of what they usually see in September, the historical peak of hurricane season.

The atmospheric environment is also unusually favorable for tropical development this early. Wind shear, which usually breaks apart forming storms, has been lower than expected in some areas.

The early burst of storm activity has placed Florida and the southeastern US on high alert. Storms forming in the deep tropics, like Beryl, can easily track toward the Gulf of Mexico or the southeastern seaboard, which will increase the chances of landfall in states like Florida, Georgia, or the Carolinas.

The National Hurricane Center warns that even storms that don’t make direct landfall can have dangerous impacts, such as coastal flooding, high winds, and rip currents.

The Atlantic’s warm waters this early in the season mean that any new system has the potential to intensify quickly.

Forecasters say the 2025 hurricane season could become one of the most active on record. If the current pace continues, the Atlantic could see many more named storms, including hurricanes, well before the season peaks in August through October.