In 2024, five hurricanes made landfall in the continental U.S., with two storms making landfall as major hurricanes. What's ahead for 2025? 

Temperatures rose above zero in parts of Illinois at the end of the week, as a deep freeze started to lift after bringing record-breaking cold to the state.

Hurricane Florence was nearing landfall on the North Carolina coast, bringing with it life-threatening storm surge, heavy rain and sustained winds of 90 miles per hour. Although downgraded to a Category 1 storm, the hurricane has grown larger and slowed its march inland — factors likely to contribute to potentially catastrophic flooding.

Last year, global warming reached record high temperatures — and if that news feels like déjà vu, you're not going crazy. The planet has now had three consecutive years of record-breaking heat.