During the highly active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, many popular tourist hotspots in Florida were hit hard by costly damages. As communities continue to pick up the pieces, business owners are banking on a busy summer to recoup their losses despite the forecast of yet another dangerous hurricane season.
What's happening?
There were 18 named storms last year, and 11 developed into hurricanes. Five hurricanes made landfall in the United States, including three in Florida alone.
As The Suncoast Post reported, Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene caused around $50 billion in damages. This includes damages from floods, structures decimated by high winds, and roads and piers that were destroyed by intense storm surges.
"We were consumed by the Gulf," Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez said of Hurricane Helene, per CBS News, which noted more than 1,400 buildings were damaged. "The surge pushed up, upward of 7 feet."
Though business owners say they are in need of a busy summer season, some fear that travelers will stay away from typical hotspots because of Trump administration tariffs.
"It's not only having a negative impact on the tourism market but business as a whole," Cole Peacock, who owns Seed and Bean in Fort Myers, told Gulf Coast ABC. "You need those extra visits to kick that profit margin to another level."
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There is also another looming threat. Experts predict that the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will be nearly as active as last year.
Why is an active Atlantic hurricane season important?
According to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there is a 60% chance of another above-average hurricane season. The NOAA forecasts that there will be 13-19 named storms, with up to 10 hurricanes. To make matters worse, of those predicted hurricanes, three to five may be major hurricanes.
The Atlantic basin is becoming more prone to producing frequent and intense tropical systems because of warmer-than-average ocean temperatures and weak wind shear. These conditions not only create a favorable environment for storm formation and intensification, but there is little in the way of these storms to weaken them as well.
Experts point to the rise of global temperatures as the key to the increase of severe weather events. While warmer temperatures don't directly increase the number of named storms, they do contribute to more powerful and damaging storms.
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What's being done about stronger hurricanes?
While hurricanes may be more likely to intensify in these conditions, meteorologists say they are better prepared than ever to track them. "In my 30 years at the National Weather Service, we've never had more advanced models and warning systems in place to monitor the weather," NOAA National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said.
Even so, Graham notes that residents in hurricane-prone areas should view the hurricane season forecast and brace for the worst. "This outlook is a call to action: Be prepared," he added. "Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you're ready before a storm threatens."
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