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Information on Hurricanes in the States

A hurricane is a tropical storm with winds greater than 74 miles per hour. According to the National Hurricane Center, about six hurricanes form every year over the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. In an average three-year period, about five hurricanes will hit the U.S. coast, killing between 50 to 100 people. Two of the five are typically categorized as "major" or "intense," ranking as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Notable Hurricanes
- Although all hurricanes are dangerous and potentially deadly, some storms are famous for their destructive power, costly damage or number of deaths. Some more notable hurricanes include the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the deadliest weather disaster in U.S. history; the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926, which destroyed every building in downtown Miami; the intense Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane of 1935; Hurricane Katrina of 2005; and Hurricane Ike of 2008, whose wrath was felt as far inland as the Ohio Valley.
Most Intense Hurricanes
- A hurricane's intensity often is measured by its lowest sea level pressure. The lower the pressure, the more the intense the storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, the most intense hurricane in the United States was the unnamed hurricane that devastated the Florida Keys in September 1935 with a pressure of 892 millibars. Other intense storms include Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which had 902 millibars; Hurricane Camille in 1969, which had 909 millibars; and Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which had 922 millibars.
Costliest Hurricanes
- Hurricanes cause millions and even billions of dollars in property damage. The costliest U.S. hurricane to date is 2005's Hurricane Katrina, which caused $75 billion in damage in New Orleans and Mississippi. Adjusted for inflation, as of 2004, some of the other costliest hurricanes include Hurricane Andrew, which cost about $43 billion; Hurricane Charley at $15 billion; and Hurricane Ivan at $14 billion. The costliest hurricane to hit U.S. territory away from the mainland is Hurricane Iniki, which hit Kaua'i, Hawaii in 1992 and did about $2.5 billion in damage.
Deadliest Hurricanes
- The deadliest hurricane on record is the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. When the Category 4 storm hit the Texas coast on September 8, it killed an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people. Another Category 4 storm, the San Felipe-Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, killed 312 in Puerto Rico, 1,836 in Florida and 18 in the Bahamas. Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest hurricane to hit U.S. shores since the San Felipe-Okeechobee. A Category 2 storm, Katrina killed more than 1,200 people across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

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