Hurricanes

Find out everything there is to know about hurricanes and stay updated on the latest news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and pictures of hurricanes at LiveScience.com. Learn more about these natural disasters as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about hurricanes.

Related Topics: Ocean, Natural Disasters, Global Warming, Weather

Latest Updates

During the early morning hours of August 27, 2020, NOAA's GOES-East saw Hurricane Laura make landfall at Cameron, Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane.

La Niña may brew a more active hurricane season, worsen drought in the Southwest

By Mindy Weisberger published

La Niña conditions — cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean — could promote a more active Atlantic hurricane season.

Satellite image shows Hurricane Laura swirling over the Gulf of Mexico on Aug.26 at 10 a.m. ET

Laura is now a monster Category 4 hurricane

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

Hurricane Laura "continues to rapidly strengthen" over the Gulf of Mexico.

A satellite image of Isaias on Aug. 4 shows the storm moving north over the East Coast of the U.S. It made landfall in North Carolina on Aug. 3 as a Category 1 hurricane, but within hours had weakened to a tropical storm. 

'Busy' hurricane season is about to get a whole lot busier, NOAA says

By Mindy Weisberger published

NOAA experts predict an "extremely active" hurricane season, with as many as 25 named storms.

Tropical storm Isaias on Aug. 4 at 10:10 a.m. ET

Isaias treks up the East Coast, threatening strong winds, tornadoes

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

Tropical storm Isaias strengthened into a category 1 hurricane before hitting North Carolina last night, bringing rapid flooding

Tropical Storm Isaias on Aug. 3 at 11:40 am ET

Tropical storm Isaias forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting the Carolinas

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

Isaias is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall from the Carolinas to the Mid-Atlantic coast

Tropical Storm Hanna, after it made landfall in Texas, shown here on Sunday, July 26, 2020.

Hanna weakens to tropical storm, wallops southeast Texas with heavy rains, flash flooding

By Jeanna Bryner published

Hanna, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, is walloping southeast Texas and northeast Mexico with heavy rains and dangerous flash flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Hanna seen from above on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

Hanna becomes 1st Atlantic hurricane of the season, as it treks toward Texas

By Jeanna Bryner published

Tropical Storm Hanna, now packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h), has become the first Atlantic hurricane of the season, as it treks west toward the coast of Texas

Satellite imagery of Tropical Storm Arthur, as seen on May 17, 2020.

Arthur becomes the Atlantic's 1st named tropical storm of 2020

By Meghan Bartels published

Government satellites have spotted the first named storm of the 2020 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season, Tropical Storm Arthur, swirling off the coast of North Carolina.

Satellite images captured by NOAA's GOES-16 (GOES-East) showed Hurricane Lorenzo as it rapidly intensified from a Category 2 storm to a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26.

Hurricane Lorenzo, Strongest Storm Ever This Far East in the Atlantic, Roars Toward the Azores

By Mindy Weisberger published

Hurricane Lorenzo, a powerful storm now bearing down on the Azores, is the strongest hurricane to form this far east in the Atlantic.

Extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian closes in on the Northwestern Bahamas on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019.

How Strong Can a Hurricane Get?

By Live Science Staff published

The Saffir-Simpson hurricane only goes up to Category 5. But in theory, winds from a powerful hurricane could blow the scale out of the water, scientists say.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch captured this image of tropical storm Barry on July 11, 2019.

Barry Becomes a Hurricane, Barrels Toward Louisiana Coast

By Jeanna Bryner published

Barry is now packing winds of 75 mph. Life-threatening flash flooding will become increasingly likely later today and tonight as Barry moves inland.

The Mississippi River laps at the stairs on a protective levee in New Orleans as Tropical Storm Barry approaches on July 11, 2019.

New Orleans Braces for Intense Floods As Tropical Storm Barry Rolls In

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

New Orleans is bracing for a tropical storm that is expected to hit tonight or tomorrow, bringing with it chances of intense flooding.

The moon's shadow passes south of Hurricane Barbara during the total solar eclipse of July 2, 2019, in this photo captured by the NOAA/NASA GOES West satellite.

Satellite Image Captures a Total Solar Eclipse and a Hurricane in One Awesome Shot

By Mike Wall published

The GOES-West weather satellite captured the gorgeous shot.

Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc in Mexico Beach, Florida, in October 2018, which made landfall there as a Category-4 hurricane.

The Atlantic May See Up to 4 Major Hurricanes This Season, New Forecast Says

By Laura Geggel published

Here's what to expect for the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season and how to get prepared.

cyclone fani

Monster Cyclone in India Prompts the Biggest Evacuation in the Country's History

By Tia Ghose published

The cyclone has triggered the biggest evacuation in the country's history.

Imagery captured by Sentinel-1 on March 19 shows the extent of flooding (depicted in red) around Beira, Mozambique, after Cyclone Idai made landfall.

'Inland Oceans' from One of Southern Hemisphere's Worst Storms Seen from Space

By Megan Gannon published

One of the worst cyclones to hit southern Africa left flooding that could be seen from space.

Sunset over the ocean

The Ocean Is Hotter Than It's Ever Been

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

Ocean temperatures reached their highest point since accurate measurements first began in the 1950s.

Planet Earth

10 Ways Earth Changed Forever in 2018

By Laura Geggel published

Earth is always changing, and 2018 — a year filled with hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes — was no exception.

Climate Change Made Recent Hurricanes Wetter. And They May Get Worse.

By Mindy Weisberger published

Rainfall in some of the biggest storms in recent years was fueled by climate change.

East Island in Hawaii.

Hawaiian Island Vanishes Overnight

By Stephanie Pappas published

East Island in Hawaii is no more.