When a named storm is heading your way, you need context fast. Select your region and the storm's characteristics to see which historical storms it resembles, what actually happened, and what to watch for.
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Browse all storms in the reference by region and decade. Click any entry for the full impact summary.
Wind speed is just one part. Here's what people actually experience at each level.
| Category | Wind (mph) | Storm surge | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | 39-74 | 1-3 ft | Flooding in low areas. Some power outages from falling branches. |
| Category 1 | 74-95 | 4-5 ft | Roof and siding damage. Shallow-rooted trees topple. Power outages last days. |
| Category 2 | 96-110 | 6-8 ft | Major roof damage. Many trees down. Near-total power loss. Water may be unsafe. |
| Category 3 | 111-129 | 9-12 ft | Devastating. Structural damage to small buildings. Power out for weeks. |
| Category 4 | 130-156 | 13-18 ft | Catastrophic. Most trees snapped. Long-term power and water loss. Uninhabitable areas. |
| Category 5 | 157+ | 18+ ft | Total destruction of structures. Areas may be uninhabitable for months. |
A fast-moving Category 2 can cause less damage than a slow Category 1 that dumps 20 inches of rain. Forward speed, size, and local geography all matter.
Ignoring storm surge until landfall
Surge is the deadliest part of most hurricanes. Check surge forecasts, not just wind. A shallow coastline amplifies surge dramatically.
Rainfall flooding kills more people than wind in many storms. Rivers can peak days after the storm passes. Inland areas are not safe just because they are not coastal.
By the time a storm reaches Category 4 near your area, evacuation windows may have closed. Prepare at Tropical Storm watch level, not at warning level.
The World Meteorological Organization retires names when a storm was so deadly or costly that using the name again would be insensitive. Retired names include Katrina (2005), Sandy (2012), Maria (2017), and Ian (2022). Over 90 Atlantic names have been retired.
Category 3 means sustained winds of 111-129 mph. Expect devastating damage: roofs torn off, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, electricity and water unavailable for days to weeks. Storm surge of 9-12 feet above normal is typical.
Storm surge causes more hurricane fatalities than wind. A Category 2 hitting a shallow coastline can produce worse surge than a Category 5 hitting a steep coast. Surge also combines with rain and river flooding. Always check surge forecasts, not just the category number.
The WMO maintains six rotating lists of 21 names for Atlantic storms. Lists rotate every six years. If a season exhausts the list, a supplemental list is now used. Names starting with Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used.
Yes. Hurricane Charley (2004) made an unexpected right turn and hit Punta Gorda instead of Tampa. Storms that interact with jet streams or other weather systems can shift track by hundreds of miles in 24 hours. Cone of uncertainty exists for a reason.
A compound event happens when a storm coincides with high tide, already swollen rivers, or saturated ground. Hurricane Florence (2018) was only Category 1 at landfall but stalled for days, dropping over 30 inches of rain into rivers already at flood stage. The combination was catastrophic.
Research shows storms are producing more rainfall, intensifying faster, and maintaining strength farther north. Sea level rise amplifies storm surge. The number of strong hurricanes has increased over recent decades, though total storm counts have not changed dramatically.
The most dangerous storms are often the ones that did something unexpected.
Left turn into New Jersey
Sandy was technically post-tropical at landfall but merged with a nor'easter to become a hybrid storm of unprecedented size. Its sharp left turn into New Jersey was nearly unprecedented and caught many off guard.
Stalled for 4 days
After landfall as a Category 4, Harvey stalled over southeast Texas and dropped over 60 inches of rain. It was the wettest tropical cyclone in US history. The flooding was entirely from rain, not surge.
Rapid intensification
Michael went from Category 2 to strong Category 5 in under 24 hours before hitting the Florida Panhandle. Many residents had prepared for a moderate hurricane and faced catastrophic winds instead.
Australia, massive size
Yasi was one of the largest tropical cyclones ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. Its wind field was so vast that entire coastal regions experienced hurricane-force winds simultaneously.