What are the worst hurricanes, and what made them so?
We have had a number of Category 4 and 5 storms–sustained winds above 130 mph–over the years. In the Atlantic, Hurricane Camille (1969), Hurricane Andrew (1992) and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 are the only three Category 5 storms to hit land before this year. Warm Gulf and/or Caribbean waters, an avoidance of land during their development and a lack of upper-level wind shear are three ingredients necessary for building the strongest storms. What areas are most hurricane-prone and why? Coastal areas, particularly on the southeastern side of a continent, and their associated offshore islands. Hurricanes move from east to west in the tropics following the tropical easterly winds and then swing back to the east as they move into mid-latitudes due to westerly winds in mid-latitudes. This produces the traditional C-shaped signature that we see. Thus, the southeastern part of a continent is the most likely to be hit. Is there any risk of hurricanes ever striking Delaware, Maryland or Ne
