NOAA Is Predicting a Busy 2025 Hurricane Season. Here's What That Means for San Antonio Homeowners

NOAA released its 2025 Atlantic hurricane season outlook this week, and the numbers are worth paying attention to. The agency is forecasting 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes, with 70% confidence in those ranges. NOAA puts a 60% chance on the season being above normal, a 30% chance of near-normal activity, and just a 10% chance of a below-normal season. The official Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, which means it starts just ten days from today.

You might be thinking: San Antonio is nowhere near the Gulf Coast. That is true, but it does not mean this forecast is irrelevant to you. South-central Texas sits in the path that weakened tropical systems follow after making landfall along the Texas or Louisiana coast. When a hurricane pushes inland, it can still carry torrential rain, damaging winds, and serious flooding hundreds of miles from where it first touched down. San Antonio has experienced that reality before, and a busy hurricane season raises the odds of it happening again.

For homeowners across the city, from Helotes and Leon Valley on the northwest side to Converse and Schertz to the northeast, and all the way down through the South Side near Lackland AFB, the single most important thing to do before June 1 is review your homeowner's insurance policy. Standard policies cover wind damage, but flood damage is almost always excluded. Flood insurance is purchased separately, typically through the National Flood Insurance Program. If your home sits in or near a FEMA-designated flood zone, and many properties near Salado Creek, Leon Creek, and the Medina River watershed fall into this category, you need to know exactly what your coverage looks like right now, not in the middle of a storm event.

Buyers who are currently shopping for a home in the San Antonio market should make flood zone status a non-negotiable part of their due diligence. Your agent can pull the FEMA flood map designation for any property you are considering. Homes in higher-risk zones in areas like Government Canyon near the 78254 ZIP code corridor, or properties in low-lying parts of Kirby and Universal City near the 78148 and 78154 areas, may carry mandatory flood insurance requirements attached to the mortgage. That adds to your monthly payment and needs to be factored into your budget before you make an offer, not after.

For sellers, a busy storm forecast actually reinforces the case for getting your home on the market sooner rather than later. Buyers are active right now in May, school districts like Northside ISD, North East ISD, and Judson ISD are wrapping up their school years, and families are motivated to close and move before fall. A late-season storm event in August or September that causes localized flooding or wind damage could complicate closings, delay inspections, and add stress to a transaction that was otherwise moving smoothly. If your home is in good shape and you have been thinking about listing, moving now puts you ahead of that uncertainty.

Renters often assume hurricane season is someone else's problem, but that thinking can be costly. Your landlord's property insurance covers the building, not your belongings. A renters insurance policy is inexpensive and covers your personal property in the event of storm damage, as well as living expenses if the property becomes temporarily uninhabitable. If you are renting in areas with known drainage issues, such as parts of the Culebra Road corridor or certain older neighborhoods in the 78207 and 78228 ZIP codes, it is worth having a candid conversation with your landlord about what their plan is if there is a significant rain event.

Every homeowner, regardless of flood zone, should run through a basic storm-readiness checklist before June. Clear your gutters and downspouts. Trim trees and remove dead branches that could fall on your roof or fencing. Know where your main water shutoff is. Keep important documents, including your insurance policies, in a waterproof location or backed up digitally. If you have a garage, check that the door is properly braced, since garage doors are frequently the first point of failure in high-wind events.

San Antonio is a resilient city with a strong community, and a busy hurricane season forecast is not cause for panic. It is cause for preparation. Taking a few practical steps now, while the skies are clear and the season has not yet started, puts you in a much stronger position no matter what the next six months bring. Whether you are buying, selling, renting, or simply protecting the home you already own, the time to act is before the storm, not during it.