Overview of the 2025 Hurricane Season
The National Weather Service (NWS) of Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that the 2025 Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricane season saw a total of 31 tropical cyclones from May to November. This included 13 in the Atlantic and 18 in the Eastern Pacific.
Atlantic Ocean Activity
- Out of the systems developed in the Atlantic, eight were tropical storms.
- One was a Category 2 hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.
- Four were major hurricanes, categorized as 3, 4, or 5.
Eastern Pacific Ocean Activity
- In the Eastern Pacific, there were eight tropical storms, seven Category 1 or 2 hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
Significant Contrasts in Both Basins
The 2025 season was marked by notable contrasts in both basins. In the Atlantic, periods of relative calm alternated with phases of high cyclone activity. Notably, three Category 5 hurricanes (Erin, Humberto, and Melissa) formed, making this season the second with the most Category 5 storms since 2017, just one less than the record-breaking 2005 season.
In the Eastern Pacific, activity was consistent from the start of the season. The intensification of Hurricane Erick on June 19 stands out, as it became a Category 4 huracán with the earliest recorded evolution in this basin.
Impact on Mexico
Number of Hurricanes Affecting Mexico
Regarding impacts on national territory, only two tropical cyclones entered Mexico in 2025, which is lower than the climatological average of 1991-2020.
Furthermore, six tropical cyclones from the Eastern Pacific moved close to Mexican coasts without making landfall, causing indirect impacts such as heavy rainfall, high waves, and strong winds.
From May to November, 40 tropical waves were recorded, slightly above the historical average of 38.
- July and August were the most active months, with 11 tropical waves each.
- May and November had the least activity, with only one system each.
These tropical waves brought rain to central, central-western, eastern, southern regions, and the Yucatan Peninsula, playing a crucial role in distributing precipitation across the country.
Additionally, Mexico’s Monsoon of 2025 exhibited typical behavior over northwestern Mexico, particularly in Sonora, Sinaloa, parts of Chihuahua, and Durango. Overall, it lasted longer than usual, extending until the last week of September.
Positive Impact on Mexico’s Dams
The NWS highlighted that the 2025 hurricane season had a positive impact on the recovery of water storage in Mexico’s national dams.
Thanks to the precipitation registered between May 15 and November 30, national storage reached a maximum level of 72%, significantly higher than the 64% recorded in 2024.
- This increase allowed more than 80 dams to surpass 100% of their Ordinary Maximum Water Levels.
- A notable case was the Cutzamala System, which reached a maximum storage level of 97%, compared to 67% the previous year, far exceeding recent levels faced by the Mexico City Valley region.
- The largest increases in storage levels were observed in the states of Sinaloa, Chiapas, Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Sonora.
Key Questions and Answers
- How many hurricanes impacted Mexico in 2025? Only two tropical cyclones entered Mexico in 2025, which is lower than the climatological average.
- What was the activity like in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific? There were 13 tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and 18 in the Eastern Pacific, with notable contrasts between the two basins.
- How did the 2025 season affect Mexico’s dams? The 2025 hurricane season positively impacted the recovery of water storage in Mexico’s national dams, with storage levels reaching a maximum of 72%.
