THE Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) is urging citizens to be prepared as the official start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was marked yesterday.

In a release, the ODPM yesterday noted the start of the season, adding that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts an above-normal season, which will run until November.

Increased activity, it said could be attributed to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean.