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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES
BIG WIND
The word "hurricane" comes from Huracan, the god of big winds and evil spirits once worshiped by the Maya people of Central America.
STATS
The average life of a hurricane is nine days. The hurricane is most destructive during its first 12 hours onshore. A typical eye measures 20 miles (32 kilometers) across.
IT'S HURRICANE SEASON
The record for the most hurricanes in a season is 12, set in 1969. Though hurricanes can occur at any time, the official hurricane season in the Atlantic falls between June 1 and November 30. An average year has six to eight hurricanes, which occur mostly in August, September, and October.
NOTORIOUS
The deadliest hurricane in the United States struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900. A storm surge almost two stories high broke over the city, causing 20-foot (6.1-meter) floods and more than 8,000 deaths. The costliest hurricane was Andrew in 1992, which caused damages totaling more than U.S. $25 billion in parts of Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia.
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HURRICANE PHOTOS Hurricanes' strong winds and floods leave chaos and devastation behind.
STEPPING OUT
Often the right side of a hurricane causes the worst storm surge, winds, and tornadoes.
AIRPLANE
Scientists aboard a "hurricane hunter" airplane fly directly through a hurricane, taking measurements along the way.
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