Here are some facts and statistics about hurricanes that will give you a little background information regarding the danger:

Hurricane Facts

Hurricane Fact #1: How Hurricane Intensity is Measured

The newly updated Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale measures wind speed in the wall of the storm to determine its intensity:

• Category 1: 74-95 miles per hour
• Category 2: 96-110 mph
• Category 3: 111-130 mph
• Category 4: 131-155 mph
• Category 5: Over 155 mph

Hurricane Fact #2: A Hurricane’s Rotation

As a result of the earth’s rotation, hurricanes spin counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of it.

Hurricane Fact #3: The Power of Tropical Cyclones

A typical hurricane releases around 600 trillion watts of heat energy – equivalent to 200 times the world’s total electrical generating capacity.

Hurricane Statistics

Hurricane Statistic #1: Peak Hurricane Season

If you live in the southeastern United States, September is the busiest month for hurricanes, and fall is the hurricane season. Here are the total Atlantic hurricanes by month, based on recorded data from 1851-2010:

• June: 32
• July: 54
• August: 228
• September: 381
• October: 192
• November: 57

Hurricane Statistic #2: The Largest Tropical Cyclone on Record

The largest documented tropical cyclone was a typhoon named Tip which occurred in 1979. Tip stretched 1,400 miles across the northwestern Pacific, equivalent to the distance between Dallas and Washington, D.C.

Learn some important facts & statistics about hurricanes, including how a hurricane’s category is determined, & what is the peak hurricane season.