Weather forecasters are sounding the alarm for inland communities across the United States as the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins.
Rising global temperatures can now supercharge storms, with impacts traveling hundreds of miles from the nation's coastlines and threatening residents who may have traditionally considered themselves safe from the hurricane dangers that once primarily battered ocean shores.
What's happening?
AccuWeather hurricane specialists are warning that inland areas face heightened risks from tropical cyclones in 2025, following devastating examples over just the last year.
Hurricane Beryl spawned over 60 tornadoes along a 1,200-mile path stretching from Texas to upstate New York, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Helene delivered catastrophic flash flooding and destructive winds to western North Carolina's mountains — hundreds of miles from where the storm first struck Florida's coast.
"We could see similar situations this year, when storms form in the Gulf and then track northward into the central and eastern United States," Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, told the Chronicle in late May.
The Atlantic basin hasn't experienced a below-average hurricane season in a decade, according to the paper, and forecasters predict 2025 will continue this dangerous trend, with a 60 percent chance of "above-normal hurricane activity."
Why are inland impacts of hurricanes concerning?
These extreme weather events pose deadly threats that extend beyond the traditional coastal danger zones, with National Hurricane Center data showing that, from 2013 to 2022, nearly 60 percent of tropical cyclone deaths resulted from rainfall flooding.
Rising ocean temperatures fuel stronger hurricanes that maintain their destructive power much farther inland than previously experienced. And now record-breaking patterns have emerged: 30 named storms formed in 2020, Hurricane Beryl reached Category 5 strength last year, and Hurricane Wilma became the Atlantic's most intense hurricane in 2005.
These storms can dump unprecedented amounts of rainfall across vast inland territories, overwhelming drainage systems and turning normally dry areas into dangerous flood zones.
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Move somewhere else 🌎 What's being done about inland threats?
Some emergency management agencies have enhanced their warning systems to better protect inland communities. As the Chronicle noted, the National Hurricane Center continues to refine its forecast cone maps, which highlight areas far from coasts where hurricane or tropical storm conditions could develop. These updated graphics can help residents hundreds of miles inland understand the real risks and prepare accordingly.
Many experts recommend that inland residents develop emergency plans just like coastal communities do. This includes identifying flood-prone areas around your home, understanding evacuation routes, and preparing supplies for power outages that can last days or weeks.
Leveraging renewable energy options, like solar panels in conjunction with a battery system, can increase a home's resilience in advance of extreme weather events that can cause extended grid outages. EnergySage makes it easy and free to compare quotes from vetted local installers and save up to $10,000 on solar installations, providing a path to energy independence when it's most needed.
The National Weather Service also urges families to determine whether they live in flood-prone zones and identify any structural vulnerabilities in their properties before major storms arrive.
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