Barbara becomes first hurricane of 2025 season
While Saharan dust and wind shear suppress tropical development in the Atlantic, the eastern Pacific has come alive, one of two active tropical cyclones becoming a hurricane.
Two eastern Pacific storms, one now a hurricane, are roaming the Eastern Pacific basin as of Monday. AccuWeather hurricane experts say that one of them, named Barbara, will brush coastal Mexico with flooding rainfall and rough seas.
The flurry of tropical activity in the Eastern Pacific so far this season stands in stark contrast to the quiet Atlantic basin, which is still awaiting its first named tropical storm of the season.
Barbara brushing Mexico, Cosme also lurking
On Sunday morning, Tropical Storm Barbara, the second named storm of the 2025 Eastern Pacific season, formed some 180 miles off the coast of western Mexico. It comes on the heels of the first named storm, Alvin, which roamed far away from land over the final few days of May. On Monday morning, it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane.
Another storm was getting its act together in Barbara's stead. A new tropical depression formed late Sunday morning and became Tropical Storm Cosme in the afternoon. As of Monday morning, Cosme's winds have increased to 65 mph--just several miles per hour below hurricane intensity.
Like Barbara, Cosme is not expected to directly impact land.
Remarkably, a fourth tropical storm over the span of fewer weeks might form by mid-June. AccuWeather hurricane experts are highlighting yet another area for potential development between June 13-15. AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva says that one, which would be named Dalila if it strengthens into a tropical storm, may also impact Mexico.
"The Eastern Pacific has come alive with [three] tropical storms already," said DaSilva on Sunday afternoon. "This has been a much faster start to the season than the historically slow start in 2024."
It took until the fourth of July for the first named storm to develop last year. The historical average date for the second named storm in the basin is June 24, July 6 for the third and July 15 for the fourth.
In contrast, the Atlantic remains quiet
Meanwhile, the tropical Atlantic basin, with hurricane season now over a week old, remains docile.
Farther out in the basin, an abundance of wind shear and Saharan dust from Africa continues to inhibit development.
"The average first named storm in the Atlantic is June 20, but development over the central and eastern basin looks unfavorable through June at this time," added DaSilva.
The setup that favored some development toward the middle of the month in the western part of the Caribbean has changed somewhat. While there is some ultralow chance of development in that zone around mid-month, proximity to land in Central America and southern Mexico may prevent a significant ramp-up.
Conditions remain more favorable for development in the eastern Pacific as opposed ot the southwestern Atlantic.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs until Nov. 30, with AccuWeather hurricane experts continuing to expect a busy season overall.
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