First Atlantic Disturbance of 2025: An Early Monitoring by the NHC

The National Hurricane Center has begun tracking the first Atlantic disturbance of 2025, occurring unusually early before the hurricane season. While early named storms are rare, some activity in the spring is not unprecedented. Historical records show a few occurrences of tropical storms in early months, with only one recorded cyclone in March, 1908.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began tracking the first Atlantic disturbance of 2025 on Monday, well ahead of the hurricane season commencing on June 1. While the occurrence of named storms this early in the year is uncommon, NHC meteorologist Robbie Berg noted that some tropical activity can arise in the Atlantic during spring months.

In 2024, the NHC monitored its first Atlantic disturbance on April 24, which was a low-pressure system located approximately 900 miles northwest of Cabo Verde. This system dissipated rapidly due to opposing strong winds, followed by a tropical wave emerging near Hispaniola in May. The previous year, an area of low pressure formally recognized as a subtropical storm appeared off the northeastern U.S. coast in January, marking it as the first cyclone of that year.

This year’s initial disturbance, characterized as a non-tropical cluster of disorganized showers and thunderstorms, was situated roughly 700 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. The NHC anticipated no development into a tropical storm, ceasing tracking by Tuesday morning. “NHC tracks non-tropical systems that have any potential to take on tropical characteristics, both inside and outside of hurricane season,” stated Berg, noting that the disturbance presented merely a 10% chance of becoming tropical.

Berg explained that weather systems generally span a range from fully tropical (such as hurricanes) to non-tropical (like winter storms). Non-tropical weather patterns frequently emerge in the Atlantic, and occasionally, as with the recent disturbance, they may exhibit potential for developing tropical features. Since records commenced in 1851, 41 tropical storms or hurricanes have been identified in the Atlantic between January and May prior to the official hurricane season.

However, March disturbances remain “quite rare,” according to Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University. Klotzbach emphasized that the only recorded tropical cyclone in the Atlantic during March occurred in 1908, when a Category 2 hurricane impacted the Leeward Islands and the Caribbean.

The monitoring of early Atlantic disturbances by the NHC highlights the unusual but possible occurrence of tropical activity prior to the official hurricane season. Although such events are rare, particularly in March, scientists indicate that understanding these systems can enhance preparedness for the upcoming season. Historical data confirms that early tropical storms have been documented since 1851, albeit infrequently, with the notable exception of a hurricane in March 1908.

Original Source: www.nola.com