tropical cyclone: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026

News •

Hurricanes learn hard lessons in season-opening loss to No. 1 Gators • Nov. 2, 2026, 11:18 PM ET (Miami Herald)

More storms looming for SEQ as 'extreme' heatwave hits Gulf country • Nov. 1, 2026, 3:12 PM ET (ABC News (Australia))

India evacuates tens of thousands as Cyclone Arnab makes landfall • Oct. 28, 2026, 12:23 AM ET (Euronews)

Vance intensifies rapidly and could become a major Category 3 hurricane off Mexico's Pacific Coast • Oct. 23, 2026, 11:08 PM ET (AP)

Typhoon Champi strengthens to Category 5 but moves away from land; Trudy weakens • Oct. 19, 2026, 5:29 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	hurricane • typhoon • cyclone

Photos and Videos

Diagram showing the anatomy of a tropical cyclone with a top view and a vertical cross section. The top view highlights the cyclone's spiral shape with a central eye and surrounding eyewall. The cross section illustrates the eye, eyewall, spiral rainbands, outflow cloud shields, and airflow patterns including spiraling winds, rotation, and descending air.

Diagram showing the development and progression of a North Atlantic hurricane, from tropical disturbance near Africa, through tropical depression and storm stages, to hurricane status, then transitioning to extratropical cyclone as it moves toward Europe and North America, with labeled arrows indicating wind patterns and ocean currents.

Hurricane Dennis

Infographic comparing the storm surge during hurricanes Ian, Irma, and Katrina

Illustration of the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, showing five categories ranked by increasing wind speed and damage: Category 1 (74-95 mph) with minor damage, up to Category 5 (157 mph or higher) with near-total destruction. Each category is color-coded and includes simple images of houses and trees showing escalating storm damage.

Infographic titled The ABCs of retired hurricane names, explaining how hurricane names are chosen and retired, with facts such as the number of retired names, notable examples like Arlene and Katrina, and trivia about naming conventions, all overlaid on a satellite image of a hurricane.

World map showing the tracks and frequency of tropical cyclones and tropical storms.

Map tracing the path of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 from the Caribbean to its landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey. The storm's track is marked with points indicating its status and wind speeds at various dates, with colored areas showing regions of heavy rainfall and snowfall in the northeastern United States. An inset map illustrates Sandy's route in relation to a blocking high-pressure system and cold air over North America.

Earth's Western Hemisphere

Five hands on a concrete wall; above a torn edge are scenes of outdoor dining, floodwater, and a crowded street; text reads “Who gets to move on?”

Satellite image showing three labeled hurricanes—Florence, Isaac, and Helene—across the Atlantic Ocean in September 2018.

3D cross-sectional illustration of a hurricane over ocean, showing cloud bands and vertical structure of storm systems.

Satellite image of a large hurricane with a defined eye over the Gulf of Mexico, approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Satellite view of a rotating hurricane, showing swirling cloud bands and a defined central eye.

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Topics

eye outflow inflow rainband eyewall Factors Affecting Hurricane Development in the Atlantic Ocean Why Are Hurricanes Rare in Hawaii?hurricane typhoon super typhoon Monsoon tropical storm polar vortex Bomb cyclone Intertropical convergence zone Trade wind Lee cyclone volcano 10 Deadliest Cyclones in History Why is the Huang He river known as China’s Sorrow?

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Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005.

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