Hurricane Season 2025 - Lessons Learned from 2024

As we mark the start of hurricane season 2025 (June 1st to November 30th) let's reflect on the lessons learned from the 2024 season, and changes that were made during 2024 that might impact the 2025 season.

A Look Back at the 2024 Season

Storm Activity Overview

This hurricane season was characterized by two devastating back to back storms, Helene and Milton, which came on the heels of Debbie. Both southern and northern parts of the state saw an impact from these storms. Each storm, whether a major hurricane or a lesser disturbance, has taught us valuable lessons about resilience and preparation.

Hurricanes = Water = Flooding

For many of us in Georgia, it isn't the wind and storm surge, it's the rain and tornadoes. This was highlighted by Hurricane Debby in August 2024, which caused flooding in Southern Georgia, and spawned tornadoes across the Southeast.

Hurricanes

Helene was slated to be a major storm for most of Georgia, and it instead ended up walloping Western North Carolina. While many in Georgia were prepared for the storm, we didn't see much from it, which was a relief. Even if the storm track makes adjustments, we should all be prepared for the worst with each Hurricane.

Celebrating Resilience and Recovery

Community Strength

Throughout the season, communities have demonstrated incredible strength and solidarity. From local volunteers assisting with evacuations to organizations providing crucial support and resources, the collective effort in facing potential disasters has been inspiring.

Improvements in Preparedness

2024 saw improvements in Hurricane modeling and tracking which increased the time that people in the path of the storm had to prepare-- this should continue to positively impact the 2025 season. NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) 2.0 went through testing during July 2024. This updated system allows for greater precision in mapping storms as they develop, allowing the information about their initial formation to inform the current and future path and strength of the storm. This has been fully implemented for hurricane season 2025, and has been paired with Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6) which tracks and reports air-sea behavior which can help inform and predict the intensity of storms. It's because of continued research like this that we gain minutes, hours, and even days to prepare our institutions and collections.

There has additionally been an update to the Hazard Services application which tracks storm surge along the coast, and tropical cyclones. This paired withe the improvements in storm tracking for intensification should increase the time and awareness that we have around hurricanes.

As we mark the start of the 2025 hurricane season, let’s take a moment to appreciate the resilience and dedication that helped us through 2024. Here’s to a season of safety, recovery, and readiness as we move forward with renewed strength and commitment.