Wind hazard description
A hurricane is a tropical storm with winds that have reached a constant speed of 74 miles per hour or more. Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral around a relative calm center known as the "eye." The eye is generally 20 to 30 miles wide, and the storm may extend outward 400 miles. As a hurricane approaches, the skies will begin to darken and winds will grow in strength. As a hurricane nears land, it can bring torrential rains, high winds, and storm surges. A single hurricane can last for more than two weeks over open waters and can run a path across the entire length of the eastern U.S seaboard. August and September are peak months during the hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 through November 30.
Areas in
the United States vulnerable to hurricanes include the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts from Texas to Maine, the territories in the Caribbean, and tropical
areas of the western Pacific, including Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa,
and Saipan.
