From their origins as seemingly harmless tropical waves off the western coast of Africa to their arrival along the North American coastline with winds that can reach speeds of more than 150 miles per hour, hurricanes can unleash what is perhaps Mother Nature's fiercest impact from a single storm.

Explore the life cycle of a hurricane as it evolves from a tropical disturbance into a tropical storm, and learn how scientists track and follow hurricanes to improve our understanding of these fascinating storms.

What is a hurricane?
How does a tropical disturbance in the Atlantic become a hurricane?
Saffir-Simpson scale
What's the difference between a Category 1 and a Category 5 hurricane?
Names for hurricanes
Why are hurricanes named, and where do their names come from?

Watches & warnings
What you should know when a hurricane watch or warning is issued.
Damage & effects
Hurricanes can impact coastal areas with more than just wind.
Hurricanes in history
From Galveston to New Orleans, hurricanes loom large in U.S. history.

Tracking hurricanes
How forecasters observe hurricanes, from far away and up close.
Hurricane season
When hurricanes are likely to form, and factors that influence the season.
Typical origins & tracks
Maps by month on where hurricanes form & the paths they follow.

Hurricane climatology
Find everything from when the season's first tropical storm and hurricane typically form to the percentage of major hurricanes that develop during the peak of the season.
Hurricane strike frequency
See the number of hurricane strikes for each county, parish and borough along the U.S. coast from 1900-2010.