States With Most Hurricanes

In addition to being the source of up-to-the-minute information about hurricanes threatening or striking the United States, the National Hurricane Center is also the official repository of detailed histories of hurricanes that have hit the country since 1851. Among their more interesting statistics are those detailing the deadliest, costliest and most intense storms to hit the U.S. through 2006.

According to the center’s database, 96 major hurricanes in the Atlantic have struck the U.S. coast since 1851. The states with the highest number of hurricane strikes are:

1. Florida, with 113 hurricanes, 37 of them major storms and two that reached Category 5 status (the strongest and most destructive of hurricanes).

2. Texas, with 60 total hurricanes, 19 of them major. The majority (23) were Category 1 storms, and none were Category 5.

3. Louisiana, with 52 total hurricanes, 20 of them major. One of those storms was a Category 5, and four were Category 4 storms.

4. North Carolina, with 50 total hurricanes, 12 of them major storms. No Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in North Carolina, but there has been one Category 4 storm.

5. South Carolina with 30 hurricanes, six of them major. Two Category 4 hurricanes have made landfall on the South Carolina coast.

The remaining top-ranked states for hurricane strikes are, in descending order, Alabama with 26, Georgia with 23, Mississippi with 16, New York with 12, Connecticut and Massachusetts with 11, Virginia with 10 and Rhode Island with nine.

For detailed statistics and information about hurricanes and the United States, go to the National Hurricane Center Web site.

Related lists:

• States With Most Hurricanes
• Deadliest U.S. Hurricanes
• Deadliest Hurricanes in Texas History
• The 5 Categories Of Hurricanes
• What To Do in Hurricane-Force Winds
• Tips For Protecting Pets In An Emergency