In 2023, there were 45 hurricanes registered worldwide, up from 45 hurricanes a year earlier. This was nevertheless below the average of 47 hurricanes per year registered from 1990 to 2022. The years of 1992 and 2018 tied as the most active in the indicated period, each with 59 hurricanes recorded. The Pacific Northwest basin recorded the largest number of hurricanes in 2023.

Most exposed countries to hurricanes With the Pacific Northwest basin being one of the most active for hurricanes in the world , there is perhaps no surprise that Japan was the country most exposed to tropical cyclones in 2023. It was followed by the Philippines, also a West Pacific nation. Meanwhile, the Bahamas was the most exposed country in the Atlantic Ocean and ranked third most exposed worldwide during the same year.

Effects of tropical cyclones From 1970 to 2019, almost 800,000 deaths due to tropical cyclones have been reported worldwide. In the past decade, the number of such casualties stood at some 19,600, the lowest decadal figure in the last half-century . In contrast to the lower number of deaths, economic losses caused by tropical cyclones has continuously grown since 1970, reaching a record high of more than 570 billion U.S. dollars from 2010 to 2019.

Between 2011 and 2020, 19 hurricanes made landfall in the United States, the same figure reported in the previous decade. This is the highest number recorded for a 10-year timespan since the 1940s, which holds the current record for most landfalls, with 24 hurricanes. In 2023, only hurricane Ian made landfall in the U.S.

Between 1851 and 2023, there were 304 hurricane direct hits in the United States, of which 40 percent were category 1 hurricanes. In the same period, 97 major hurricanes (with a category 3 or higher) made landfall in the country. Hurricane Michael, in 2018, was the latest category 5 hurricane to hit the North American country. Florida was the state most commonly hit by hurricanes.

Nearly 40 percent of all hurricanes that made landfall in the United States between 1851 and 2022 hit Florida. The state was hit by 120 hurricanes in the period, of which 37 were major hurricanes (category 3 or higher). Texas and Louisiana were the second and third most hit states in the country, with 64 and 63 hurricanes, respectively.

In 2024, there were four hurricanes tracked in the Atlantic basin, up from seven recorded a year earlier. 2020 had recorded the second most active hurricane season in the displayed period. It only ranked behind 2005, when 15 hurricanes were recorded in the region. Between 1990 and 2021, there were on average seven hurricanes tracked per year in the Atlantic. In the same period, 54 hurricanes made landfall in the U.S.

In 2023, there were 78 named storms registered worldwide, down from 87 storms in the previous year. Overall, there was an average of 87 named tropical cyclones registered per year from 1980 to 2023. Japan was the country most exposed to this type of event worldwide.

What is a tropical cyclone?Tropical cyclones are intense rotating storms that form over warm tropical waters, characterized by heavy rain and strong winds. Once a cyclone sustains wind speeds exceeding 63 kilometers per hour, they are considered a tropical storm and receive a name. Named tropical storms can also receive further classification depending on their intensity and location (also known as basin). High-speed cyclones in the Northern Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins are called hurricanes, while in the Western Pacific they are called typhoons. When the event takes place within the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, it is known as a cyclone.

Frequency of tropical cyclones worldwide

The Northwest Pacific basin is one of the most active for tropical cyclones worldwide. In 2023, there were 16 named storms reported in the region, of which more than half were classified as hurricanes. Meanwhile, the North Indian Ocean represented one of the least active basins for tropical cyclones, with an annual average of five named storms recorded from 1990 to 2023.

Hurricane tracks and positions provide information on where the storm has been, where it is currently located, and where it is predicted to go. Each storm location is depicted by the sustained wind speed, according to the Saffir-Simpson Scale. It should be noted that the Saffir-Simpson Scale only applies to hurricanes in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins, however all storms are still symbolized using that classification for consistency.Data SourceThis data is provided by NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) for the Central+East Pacific and Atlantic, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center for the West+Central Pacific and Indian basins. For more disaster-related live feeds visit the Disaster Web Maps & Feeds ArcGIS Online Group.Sample DataSee Sample Layer Item for sample data during inactive Hurricane Season!Update FrequencyThe Aggregated Live Feeds methodology checks the Source for updates every 15 minutes. Tropical cyclones are normally issued every six hours at 5:00 AM EDT, 11:00 AM EDT, 5:00 PM EDT, and 11:00 PM EDT (or 4:00 AM EST, 10:00 AM EST, 4:00 PM EST, and 10:00 PM EST).Public advisories for Eastern Pacific tropical cyclones are normally issued every six hours at 2:00 AM PDT, 8:00 AM PDT, 2:00 PM PDT, and 8:00 PM PDT (or 1:00 AM PST, 7:00 AM PST, 1:00 PM PST, and 7:00 PM PST).Intermediate public advisories may be issued every 3 hours when coastal watches or warnings are in effect, and every 2 hours when coastal watches or warnings are in effect and land-based radars have identified a reliable storm center. Additionally, special public advisories may be issued at any time due to significant changes in warnings or in a cyclone. For the NHC data source you can subscribe to RSS Feeds.North Pacific and North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone warnings are updated every 6 hours, and South Indian and South Pacific Ocean tropical cyclone warnings are routinely updated every 12 hours. Times are set to Zulu/UTC.Scale/ResolutionThe horizontal accuracy of these datasets is not stated but it is important to remember that tropical cyclone track forecasts are subject to error, and that the effects of a tropical cyclone can span many hundreds of miles from the center.Area CoveredWorldGlossaryForecast location: Represents the official NHC forecast locations for the center of a tropical cyclone. Forecast center positions are given for projections valid 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after the forecast's nominal initial time. Click here for more information.

Forecast points from the JTWC are valid 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours after the forecast’s initial time.Forecast track: This product aids in the visualization of an NHC official track forecast, the forecast points are connected by a red line. The track lines are not a forecast product, as such, the lines should not be interpreted as representing a specific forecast for the location of a tropical cyclone in between official forecast points. It is also important to remember that tropical cyclone track forecasts are subject to error, and that the effects of a tropical cyclone can span many hundreds of miles from the center. Click here for more information.The Cone of Uncertainty: Cyclone paths are hard to predict with absolute certainty, especially days in advance.

The cone represents the probable track of the center of a tropical cyclone and is formed by enclosing the area swept out by a set of circles along the forecast track (at 12, 24, 36 hours, etc). The size of each circle is scaled so that two-thirds of the historical official forecast errors over a 5-year sample fall within the circle. Based on forecasts over the previous 5 years, the entire track of a tropical cyclone can be expected to remain within the cone roughly 60-70% of the time. It is important to note that the area affected by a tropical cyclone can extend well beyond the confines of the cone enclosing the most likely track area of the center. Click here for more information.Coastal Watch/Warning: Coastal areas are placed under watches and warnings depending on the proximity and intensity of the approaching storm.Tropical Storm Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph) or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. The watch does not mean that tropical storm conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible.Tropical Storm Warning is issued when sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph) or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding.Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. The watch does not mean that hurricane conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible.Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.RevisionsNov 20, 2023: Added Event Label to 'Forecast Position' layer, showing arrival time and wind speed localized to user's location.Mar 27, 2022: Added UID, Max_SS, Max_Wind, Max_Gust, and Max_Label fields to ForecastErrorCone layer.This map is provided for informational purposes and is not monitored 24/7 for accuracy and currency. Always refer to NOAA or JTWC sources for official guidance.If you would like to be alerted to potential issues or simply see when this Service will update next, please visit our Live Feed Status Page!

In 2023, hurricane Idalia – a hurricane of category 3 – made landfall in the United States. Just three years earlier, the North American country had seen the record number of hurricanes to hit the nation in one year. Despite the lower number of hurricanes, 2021 tied with 2002 for the highest number of tropical storms to hit the U.S. in one year, with six occurrences. Tropical storms are cyclones with a wind speed surpassing 39 miles per hour but below the hurricane threshold of 74 miles per hour.

This study used computer modeling to study the impacts of hurricanes across the Yucatan Peninsula since 1851. For details on methods and results please see the published paper (Boose, E. R., D. R. Foster, A. Barker Plotkin and B. Hall. 2003. Geographical and historical variation in hurricanes across the Yucatan Peninsula. In Lowland Maya Area: Three Millennia at the Human-Wildland Interface. A. Gomez-Pompa, M. F. Allen, S. Fedick and J. J. Jimenez-Osornio, eds. Haworth Press, New York, NY. In press). The Abstract from the paper is reproduced below. "The ecological impacts of hurricanes across the Yucatan Peninsula over the last 150 years were investigated using a simple meteorological model (HURRECON) developed at Harvard Forest as well as a database of historical hurricane data (HURDAT) maintained by the U. S. National Hurricane Center. All hurricanes over the period 1851-2000 with sustained winds of hurricane force (33 meters/sec) within 300 kilometers of the study region were analyzed (n = 105). Each storm was reconstructed to produce estimates of wind damage on the Fujita scale across the region. Individual reconstructions were then compiled to study cumulative impacts of all 105 storms. "Results showed considerable variation in hurricane activity from year to year, and from decade to decade, while at the half-century scale there was an increase in hurricane intensity since the mid-nineteenth century. Ninety percent of the hurricanes causing F1 damage or higher (on the Fujita scale) occurred in the months of August, September, and October. A strong spatial gradient in hurricane frequency and intensity extended across the region from northeast to southwest, resulting from (1) the greater number of hurricanes to the north, (2) the east to west movement of most hurricanes across the area, and (3) the tendency for most hurricanes to weaken significantly after landfall. For example, during the study period, northeastern parts of the peninsula experienced a minimum of one F3 hurricane, six F2 hurricanes, and thirty F1 hurricanes, while southwestern parts experienced no F2 or F3 damage and fewer than five F1 storms. Though a significant disturbance across much of the Yucatan Peninsula, hurricanes may have shorter-lived and less severe ecological impacts than fire or human land use. The interaction of these factors (e.g., fires following hurricanes), however, may be very significant and deserves further study."

Hurricane tracks and positions provide information on where the storm has been, where it is currently located, and where it is predicted to go. Each storm location is depicted by the sustained wind speed, according to the Saffir-Simpson Scale. It should be noted that the Saffir-Simpson Scale only applies to hurricanes in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins, however all storms are still symbolized using that classification for consistency.Data SourceThis data is provided by NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) for the Central+East Pacific and Atlantic, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center for the West+Central Pacific and Indian basins. For more disaster-related live feeds visit the Disaster Web Maps & Feeds ArcGIS Online Group.Sample DataSee Sample Layer Item for sample data during inactive Hurricane Season!Update FrequencyThe Aggregated Live Feeds methodology checks the Source for updates every 15 minutes. Tropical cyclones are normally issued every six hours at 5:00 AM EDT, 11:00 AM EDT, 5:00 PM EDT, and 11:00 PM EDT (or 4:00 AM EST, 10:00 AM EST, 4:00 PM EST, and 10:00 PM EST).Public advisories for Eastern Pacific tropical cyclones are normally issued every six hours at 2:00 AM PDT, 8:00 AM PDT, 2:00 PM PDT, and 8:00 PM PDT (or 1:00 AM PST, 7:00 AM PST, 1:00 PM PST, and 7:00 PM PST).Intermediate public advisories may be issued every 3 hours when coastal watches or warnings are in effect, and every 2 hours when coastal watches or warnings are in effect and land-based radars have identified a reliable storm center. Additionally, special public advisories may be issued at any time due to significant changes in warnings or in a cyclone. For the NHC data source you can subscribe to RSS Feeds.North Pacific and North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone warnings are updated every 6 hours, and South Indian and South Pacific Ocean tropical cyclone warnings are routinely updated every 12 hours. Times are set to Zulu/UTC.Scale/ResolutionThe horizontal accuracy of these datasets is not stated but it is important to remember that tropical cyclone track forecasts are subject to error, and that the effects of a tropical cyclone can span many hundreds of miles from the center.Area CoveredWorldGlossaryForecast location: Represents the official NHC forecast locations for the center of a tropical cyclone. Forecast center positions are given for projections valid 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after the forecast's nominal initial time. Click here for more information.

Forecast points from the JTWC are valid 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours after the forecast’s initial time.Forecast track: This product aids in the visualization of an NHC official track forecast, the forecast points are connected by a red line. The track lines are not a forecast product, as such, the lines should not be interpreted as representing a specific forecast for the location of a tropical cyclone in between official forecast points. It is also important to remember that tropical cyclone track forecasts are subject to error, and that the effects of a tropical cyclone can span many hundreds of miles from the center. Click here for more information.The Cone of Uncertainty: Cyclone paths are hard to predict with absolute certainty, especially days in advance.

The cone represents the probable track of the center of a tropical cyclone and is formed by enclosing the area swept out by a set of circles along the forecast track (at 12, 24, 36 hours, etc). The size of each circle is scaled so that two-thirds of the historical official forecast errors over a 5-year sample fall within the circle. Based on forecasts over the previous 5 years, the entire track of a tropical cyclone can be expected to remain within the cone roughly 60-70% of the time. It is important to note that the area affected by a tropical cyclone can extend well beyond the confines of the cone enclosing the most likely track area of the center. Click here for more information. Now includes 'Danger Area' Polygons from JTWC, detailing US Navy Ship Avoidance Area when Wind speeds exceed 34 Knots!Coastal Watch/Warning: Coastal areas are placed under watches and warnings depending on the proximity and intensity of the approaching storm.Tropical Storm Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph) or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. The watch does not mean that tropical storm conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible.Tropical Storm Warning is issued when sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph) or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding.Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. The watch does not mean that hurricane conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible.Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.RevisionsMar 13, 2025: Altered 'Forecast Error Cone' layer to include 'Danger Area' with updated symbology.Nov 20, 2023: Added Event Label to 'Forecast Position' layer, showing arrival time and wind speed localized to user's location.Mar 27, 2022: Added UID, Max_SS, Max_Wind, Max_Gust, and Max_Label fields to ForecastErrorCone layer.This map is provided for informational purposes and is not monitored 24/7 for accuracy and currency. Always refer to NOAA or JTWC sources for official guidance.If you would like to be alerted to potential issues or simply see when this Service will update next, please visit our Live Feed Status Page!

This layer features tropical storm (hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones) tracks, positions, and observed wind swaths from the past hurricane season for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Basins. These are products from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). They are part of an archive of tropical storm data maintained in the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) database by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.Data SourceNOAA National Hurricane Center tropical cyclone best track archive.Update FrequencyWe automatically check these products for updates every 15 minutes from the NHC GIS Data page.The NHC shapefiles are parsed using the Aggregated Live Feeds methodology to take the returned information and serve the data through ArcGIS Server as a map service.Area CoveredWorldWhat can you do with this layer?Customize the display of each attribute by using the ‘Change Style’ option for any layer.Run a filter to query the layer and display only specific types of storms or areas.Add to your map with other weather data layers to provide insight on hazardous weather events.Use ArcGIS Online analysis tools like ‘Enrich Data’ on the Observed Wind Swath layer to determine the impact of cyclone events on populations.Visualize data in ArcGIS Insights or Operations Dashboards.This map is provided for informational purposes and is not monitored 24/7 for accuracy and currency. Always refer to NOAA or JTWC sources for official guidance.If you would like to be alerted to potential issues or simply see when this Service will update next, please visit our Live Feed Status Page!

This project used a combination of historical research and computer modeling to study the impacts of hurricanes in New England since 1620. For details on methods and results, please see the published paper (Boose, E. R., K. E. Chamberlin and D. R. Foster. 2001. Landscape and regional impacts of hurricanes in New England. Ecological Monographs 71: 27-48). The Abstract from the paper is reproduced below. "Hurricanes are a major factor controlling ecosystem structure, function and dynamics in many coastal forests and yet their ecological role can be understood only by assessing impacts in space and time over a period of centuries. We present a new method for reconstructing hurricane disturbance regimes using a combination of historical research and computer modeling. Historical data on wind damage for each hurricane in the selected region are quantified using the Fujita scale to produce regional maps of actual damage. A simple meteorological model (HURRECON), parameterized and tested for selected recent hurricanes, provides regional estimates of wind speed, direction, and damage for each storm. Individual reconstructions are compiled to analyze spatial and temporal patterns of hurricane impacts. Long-term effects of topography on a landscape scale are then examined with a simple topographic exposure model (EXPOS). "We applied this method to New England, USA, examining hurricanes since European settlement in 1620. Results showed strong regional gradients in hurricane frequency and intensity from southeast to northwest: average return intervals for F0 damage on the Fujita scale (loss of leaves and branches) ranged from 5 to 85 years, average return intervals for F1 damage (scattered blowdowns, small gaps) ranged from 10 to more than 200 years, and average return intervals for F2 damage (extensive blowdowns, large gaps) ranged from 85 to more than 380 years. On a landscape scale, average return intervals for F2 damage in the town of Petersham MA ranged from 125 years across most sites to more than 380 years on scattered lee slopes. Actual forest damage was strongly dependent on land-use and natural disturbance history. Annual and decadal timing of hurricanes varied widely. There was no clear century-scale trend in the number of major hurricanes. "The historical-modeling approach is applicable to any region with good historical records and will enable ecologists and land managers to incorporate insights on hurricane disturbance regimes into the interpretation and conservation of forests at landscape to regional scales."

In the 2023 season, the Northwest Pacific was the ocean basin with the highest number of hurricanes recorded, with 11 occurrences registered. The Northeast Pacific basin came in second, with a total of ten hurricanes recorded that year. In the period from 1990 to 2023, there were an average of 47 hurricanes registered worldwide per year.

The EcoTrends project was established in 2004 by Dr. Debra Peters (Jornada Basin LTER, USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range) and Dr. Ariel Lugo (Luquillo LTER, USDA-FS Luquillo Experimental Forest) to support the collection and analysis of long-term ecological datasets. The project is a large synthesis effort focused on improving the accessibility and use of long-term data. At present, there are ~50 state and federally funded research sites that are participating and contributing to the EcoTrends project, including all 26 Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites and sites funded by the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS), USDA Forest Service, US Department of Energy, US Geological Survey (USGS) and numerous universities. Data from the EcoTrends project are available through an exploratory web portal (http://www.ecotrends.info). This web portal enables the continuation of data compilation and accessibility by users through an interactive web application. Ongoing data compilation is updated through both manual and automatic processing as part of the LTER Provenance Aware Synthesis Tracking Architecture (PASTA). The web portal is a collaboration between the Jornada LTER and the LTER Network Office. The following dataset from Harvard Forest (HFR) contains hurricanes (number) measurements in number units and were aggregated to a yearly timescale.

This project used a combination of historical research and computer modeling to study the impacts of hurricanes in Puerto Rico since 1508. For details on methods and results, please see the published paper (Boose, E. R., M. I. Serrano and D. R. Foster. 2004. Landscape and regional impacts of hurricanes in Puerto Rico. Ecological Monographs 74: 335-352). The Abstract from the paper is reproduced below. "Puerto Rico is subject to frequent and severe impacts from hurricanes, whose long-term ecological role must be assessed on a scale of centuries. In this study we applied a method for reconstructing hurricane disturbance regimes developed in an earlier study of hurricanes in New England. Patterns of actual wind damage from historical records were analyzed for 85 hurricanes since European settlement in 1508. A simple meteorological model (HURRECON) was used to reconstruct the impacts of 43 hurricanes since 1851. Long-term effects of topography on a landscape scale in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) were simulated with a simple topographic exposure model (EXPOS). "Average return intervals across Puerto Rico for F0 damage (loss of leaves and branches) and F1 damage (scattered blowdowns, small gaps) on the Fujita scale were 4 and 6 years, respectively. At higher damage levels a gradient was created by the direction of the storm tracks and the weakening of hurricanes over the interior mountains. Average return intervals for F2 damage (extensive blowdowns) and F3 damage (forests leveled) ranged from 15 to 33 years and 50 to 150 years, respectively, from east to west. In the LEF, the combination of steep topography and constrained peak wind directions created a complex mosaic of topographic exposure and protection, with average return intervals for F3 damage ranging from 50 years to more than 150 years. Actual forest damage was strongly dependent on land-use history and the effects of recent hurricanes. Annual and decadal timing of hurricanes varied widely. There was no clear centennial-scale trend in the number of major hurricanes over the historical period."

EcoDRR global classification scheme based on spatial combination of ecosystem coverage and natural hazard physical exposure. The physical exposure data-set shows the product of hazard frequency and people exposed to this hazard in the same 100 square kilometer cell. For a specific natural hazard, a 0.01 degree resolution raster is generated, showing hazard annual frequency weighted with portion of pixel potentially affected. In the case of tropical cyclones, annual frequency is calculated using the category one of the Saffir-Simpson scale. It corresponds to the largest wind buffer of each past event footprint.

Sources: The dataset includes an estimate of tropical cyclone frequency of Saffir-Simpson category 1. It is based on two sources: 1) IBTrACS v02r01 (1969 - 2008, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ibtracs/), year 2009 completed by online data from JMA, JTWC, UNISYS, Meteo France and data sent by Alan Sharp from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. 2) A GIS modeling based on an initial equation from Greg Holland, which was further modified to take into consideration the movement of the cyclones through time. Unit is expected average number of event per 100 years multiplied by 100. This product was designed by UNEP/GRID-Europe for the Global Assessment Report on Risk Reduction (GAR). It was modeled using global data. Credit: Raw data: IBTrACS, compilation and GIS processing UNEP/GRID-Europe.

HURRECON is a simple meteorological model that estimates hurricane surface wind speed and direction based on the track, size, and intensity of a hurricane and the surface type (land or water). The model also estimates Fujita-scale wind damage as a function of peak 1/4 mile wind speed and wind gust factor. Estimates can be generated for a single site or a rectangular region. The model is based on published empirical studies of many hurricanes. HURRECON can be used to study the impacts of individual hurricanes or to reconstruct the hurricane disturbance regime for a particular region. For more information on the most recent version of the model please see the published paper (Boose, E. R., K. E. Chamberlin and D. R. Foster. 2001. Landscape and regional impacts of hurricanes in New England. Ecological Monographs 71: 27-48). Additional information is contained in the documentation that accompanies the program. For an updated version of the HURRECON model in R and Python, please see HF446.

In 2021, there were 68 fatalities due to hurricanes reported in the United States. Since the beginning of the century, the highest number of fatalities was recorded in 2005, when four major hurricanes – including Hurricane Katrina – resulted in 1,518 deaths.

The worst hurricanes in U.S. history
Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in August 2005, ranked as the third deadliest hurricane in the U.S. since records began. Affecting mainly the city of New Orleans and its surroundings, the category 3 hurricane caused an estimated 1,500 fatalities. Katrina was also the costliest tropical cyclone to hit the U.S. in the past seven decades, with damages amounting to roughly 186 billion U.S. dollars. Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, both of which made landfall in 2017, ranked second and third, resulting in damage costs of 149 and 107 billion dollars, respectively.

How are hurricanes classified?
According to the Saffir-Simpson scale, hurricanes can be classified into five categories, depending on their maximum sustained wind speed. Most of the hurricanes that have made landfall in the U.S. since 1851 are category 1, the mildest of the five. Hurricanes rated category 3 or above are considered major hurricanes and can cause devastating damage. In 2021, there were 38 hurricanes recorded across the globe, of which 17 were major hurricanes.

This data set is updated every time a trim is performed on the plots. The last trim was in 2014. The Luquillo Experimental Forest LTER program in Puerto Rico was initially focused on the understanding of the effects that two major hurricanes, Hugo in 1989 and George in 1998, had on the structure and function of a tropical mountain forest and how the biota responded to these disturbances. This focus provided insights into the key characteristics of disturbance that alter forest function over long time scales. After several years of research through the LEF-LTER program, it became clear that one primary effect of disturbances associated with the impact of a hurricane is to redistribute organic matter from live biomass compartments to the detrital pool. Then a combination of biotic and abiotic processes, all modified by the disturbance, contributes to the decomposition of detritus and to the subsequent fate of associated C and nutrients. These critical regulating processes define detrital dynamics and play a central role in the recovery of forest structure and function by regulating decomposition and therefore carbon and nutrient storage and flow. Our understanding of hurricane impacts comes from measurements of the effects of naturally occurring hurricanes on tabonuco forest and comparisons with similar disturbances in other forests (Walker et al. 1991, 1996a). Base on the evaluation of long-term measurements after the impact of hurricane Hugo and George it becomes clear that the two primary effects of hurricane disturbance are changes in microclimate and redistribution of biomass, and that the interaction of both factors propagate through the system in complex ways. These measurements are informative but cannot tease apart the effects of various aspects of hurricane disturbance and suffer from the lack of a control or reference condition. From this assessment the LUQ-LTER principal investigators jointly identified the need for an experimental manipulation to decouple the effect of shifts in resource availability due to redistribution of biomass and altered microclimate conditions due to canopy opening on community and ecosystem processes and forest recovery. As a long term experiment, the CTE is also designed to help evaluating predictions regarding the effects of an increased intensity and rate of hurricane disturbance on tabonuco forest (Sanford et al. 1991) as predicted by climate change models for Caribbean hurricanes (Emmanuel 1987, Goldenberg et al. 2001). This long-term experiment will increase the frequency of simulated hurricane effects above background levels to once every six years. The experiment will determine effects of repeated disturbance of the forest canopy and increased detrital inputs to the forest floor on germination, growth, survival, nutrient cycling, soil conditions, and trophic structure.

Samaritan's Purse (SP) is implementing a program to save lives and reduce the suffering of affected populations through the delivery of critical health, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. In April 2020, SP submitted a semi-annual program performance report covering the period of September 2, 2019 through March 31, 2020. Survey respondents were asked to provide feedback about WASH NFIs (non-food items) kits that were distributed as part of the emergency response to Hurricane Dorian.