TTMS Declares 2025 Hurricane Season Closed After Record-Breaking Category 5 Storm
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) has declared the official end of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which concluded on December 1 after months of volatile weather activity across the region. This year’s season produced a total of 13 named storms, including five hurricanes — four of which intensified into major hurricanes.
While the overall number of storms was close to the long-term seasonal average, the TTMS emphasized that 2025 will be remembered for one catastrophic event: Hurricane Melissa. The powerful system made history on October 28 when it slammed into Jamaica as the island’s first-ever Category 5 landfalling hurricane, packing sustained winds of 185 miles per hour.
Hurricane Melissa left an unprecedented trail of destruction. The storm caused widespread structural collapse, devastating storm surge, and severe flooding that crippled major sectors of Jamaica’s infrastructure. Economic losses have been estimated at nearly US$48 billion, placing Melissa among the costliest natural disasters in Caribbean history.
The human toll was equally staggering. At least 75 people lost their lives, and communities across Jamaica, Hispaniola, and eastern Cuba continue to grapple with lingering health crises, including waterborne disease outbreaks triggered by damaged sanitation systems and prolonged displacement.
According to TTMS officials, Melissa’s extreme intensity and the magnitude of its impacts set this hurricane season apart, highlighting the growing vulnerability of Caribbean nations to high-end storms. Meteorologists noted that although storm frequency did not break records, the severity and rapid intensification seen in 2025 reflect evolving climate patterns that demand strengthened regional preparedness.
As recovery efforts continue across the hardest-hit islands, Caribbean governments and disaster agencies are urging residents to remain vigilant and prioritize disaster readiness long before the 2026 hurricane season begins.
.
