JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s a new year, so let’s look back at our weather in 2025!
From a rare snowstorm in January to no tropical activity across the state and a rainfall deficit, it certainly was an interesting year.
Snow in January
The Sunshine State faced its first winter storm since 1989 in late January.
Parts of the Florida Panhandle saw snow accumulate on the ground on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and that carried over to our area on Wednesday, Jan. 22, in Georgia.
These are the official snow reports from the National Weather Service Jacksonville:
Georgia
| Location | Amount | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazlehurst | 5.0 | 5 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Alma | 5.0 | 8 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Pearson | 5.0 | 8:11 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Douglas | 4.5 | 6 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Deenwood | 4.5 | 7:13 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Doctortown | 4.5 | 9 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Hazlehurst | 4.0 | 6 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Pridgen | 4.0 | 6:45 a.m. | 01/22 |
| New Lacy | 4.0 | 9:50 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Hoboken | 3.8 | 8:45 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Surrency | 3.8 | 8:45 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Waynesville | 3.6 | 9:30 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Blackshear | 3.2 | 9:35 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Patterson | 3.0 | 10 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Odum | 2.9 | 8:35 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Glynn Haven | 2.9 | 8:49 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Hazlehurst | 2.7 | 8:38 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Baxley | 2.6 | 8:45 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Screven | 2.6 | 10 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Nicholls | 2.5 | 8 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Waycross | 2.5 | 9:30 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Waynesville | 2.1 | 2:55 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Nahunta | 1.8 | 8:30 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Statenville | 0.7 | 9 a.m. | 01/22 |
Florida
| Location | Amount | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yulee (sleet) | 0.3 | 8:19 a.m. | 01/22 |
| Jacksonville International Airport (sleet) | 0.1 | 01/22 | |
| Blountstown | 6 | 9 a.m. | 01/22 |
| FSCU Doak Campbell Stadium (sleet) | 2 | 01/22 |
Genuine snowflakes occurred through southern Georgia leaving behind snow so thick that the white albedo of the snowflakes left a path on the ground as seen from space in the satellite image.
The white outline encompasses snowfall depths ranging from 9 inches north of Pensacola, to 5 inches accumulation just 100 miles northwest of Jacksonville in Alma, Georgia.
Drought
The lack of rainfall was also a big story across our area.
Duval County received 41.44 inches of rain. The average is 53.4 inches, which is 11.96 below normal. Compared to 2024’s 61.65 inches, which was above average, we were well below the normal rainfall for the year of 53.4 inches.
Duval County recorded the 21st wettest August in 131 years when over 2.50 inches above normal fell at Jacksonville International Airport (JIA). The end of the year was very different.
Jacksonville recorded its driest November since records have been kept at the site since 1938. You have to go back to 1970, where a trace of rain was recorded, and only two hundredths of an inch of rain was recorded in 2016. Since 2000, the airport has recorded a tenth of an inch or less of rain one other time (2016).
Hurricane Season
Hurricane season was also one for the history books.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season started with forecasts calling for an “above-normal” year, thanks to warm Atlantic waters and atmospheric patterns that usually fuel tropical development. But instead of producing a huge number of storms, the season became known for something far more dramatic: incredible intensity.
We had 13 named storms, five hurricanes, and four major hurricanes, of which three reached Category 5 strength. So while the total storm count sat on the lower end of the predictions, the power packed into those storms was intense.
One of the first major surprises came from Hurricane Erin, which intensified from a tropical wave to a Category 5 hurricane in just over a day. That rapid intensification set the tone for the rest of the season.
Later, on Oct. 28, Hurricane Melissa became the strongest system of the year, ever, reaching a measured wind gust at 252 mph, which placed it among the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.
Despite the extreme power of these hurricanes, the United States mainland escaped without a single hurricane landfall. This is something that hadn’t happened since 2015. Still, several storms passed close enough to generate dangerous surf, rip currents, and coastal flooding.
The Caribbean, however, wasn’t as fortunate. Melissa in particular caused devastating winds, flooding, landslides, and widespread damage across several islands, including Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.
As the season came to a close, one theme stood out: storm count doesn’t tell the full story.
A handful of extremely intense hurricanes can have as much impact as a busy season filled with weaker ones. And even in a year when the United States dodged direct hits, the Caribbean suffered major losses — a reminder that a “quiet” season for one region can still be devastating for another.
From no hurricanes to snow and dry weather, it certainly was an interesting year of weather!