As we close out 2025, here’s a look back at the wild weather experienced this year. From snow to wildfires to tornadoes to flooding, 2025 will be one for the record books.
It didn’t take long into the New Year for Mother Nature to become active.
First big storm of the season Jan 3. to Jan 6
On Jan. 3, a storm system moved onshore along the West Coast, producing snow in the mountains of Washington and Montana. The southern side of the storm produced severe weather, including the first tornado of the year in Northern California.
As it moved east across the Great Plains and Midwest on Jan. 4 and 5, it intensified and pulled in moisture from the Gulf. Parts of Kansas, including the Kansas City metro, saw upwards of 12 to 18 inches of snow, nearly a season’s worth in one storm.
The St. Louis metro accumulated 8 to over 12 inches, with Weldon Spring, Mo. being the big winner. The snow was so intense at one point, thunder snow was reported.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport received 8 inches of snow, a new daily record, leading to canceled flights. At the height of the storm, the pressure dropped to 976 millibars, equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane.
The southern side of the system on Jan. 5 produced severe weather in the Lower Mississippi River Valley, with 17 tornado reports and dozens of wind reports.
The storm pushed east and was along the East Coast by Jan. 6. From Virginia to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, snow accumulated. Richmond, Va. experienced blizzard conditions leading to water outages, which took at least three days to fully restore.
Southern snow Jan. 21 to 22
Snow in the south happens, but it’s usually a few flakes, not half a foot or more. A large southern storm system brought big snows to states like Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida in late January. Pensacola, Florida, shattered its two-day snowfall record, accumulating 8.9 inches of snow.
New Orleans was transformed into a winter wonderland, with snowball fights captured on Bourbon Street. For the first time it their history, the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, La., issued blizzard warnings.
People walk around on Bourbon Street as snow falls in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Snow wasn’t the only big weather event in January.
Los Angeles wildfires
The Santa Ana winds led to dangerous fires across California. 14 fires burned throughout the entire month, with the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton fires as the two largest. Tens of thousands of structures were damaged or destroyed, and fatalities are estimated in the hundreds.
A car travels down East Mendocino Street as a wildfire burns in the hills near Eaton Canyon, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
May 15 to 16 tornado outbreak
Spring saw bouts of severe weather, with several storms producing destructive tornadoes.
In May, a deadly tornado outbreak hit the Midwest and Ohio River Valley, with more than 60 tornadoes reported. An EF3 tornado, with estimated winds of 150 mph, touched down in the Greater St. Louis area on May 16, bringing destruction across the northern part of the city and killing four people.
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Damage in the St. Louis metro after an EF3 tornado touched down on May 16, 2025. (Pic: NWS St. Louis)
The same storm system produced a large EF4-rated tornado, with winds estimated at 170 mph, across south-central Kentucky. This long-tracked tornado caused 19 fatalities and billions of dollars in damage.
Texas Hill Country flooding
Turning to summer—During the early morning hours of July 4, the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry combined with Pacific moisture, producing heavy thunderstorms across the Texas Hill Country. Rainfall totals ranged from 8 to over 20 inches in just a few hours, leading to the dramatic rise of the Guadalupe River.
Camp Mystic stands next a creek that feeds into the Guadalupe River, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Hunt, Texas, after flash flooding swept through the area. (AP Photo/Eli Hartman)
One of the worst-hit areas was in Kerrville, Texas, where Camp Mystic, a girl’s summer camp along the river, flooded. The water rose so quickly that the camp did not have time to evacuate. Twenty-five campers and two teenage counselors perished during the devastating floods.
Tampa hits 100 degrees
2025 saw its fair share of weather records shattered. On July 28, the Tampa International Airport recorded the first triple-digit temperature since records began in 1890. The area hit 100 degrees!
Hurricane season
Speaking of numbers… This was the first time in a decade that no hurricane had made landfall in the United States. However, in late August, Hurricane Erin brought dangerous surf and rip currents to the East Coast.
Numerous houses along North Carolina’s Outer Banks fell into the sea because of coastal flooding and erosion.
Five homes collapsed Tuesday in Buxton along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. (Spectrum News 1/Lauren Howard)
Although no hurricane made landfall in the U.S., Hurricane Melissa made history as the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane and made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph. The storm killed over 100 people and caused at least $10 billion in damage.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
Meteorologist Stacy Lynn
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