Image Credits & Attribution
Every image on this site is public-domain (e.g. NASA, NOAA, NHC, USGS, FEMA), or licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY / CC-BY-SA. We never use non-commercial-only (CC-NC) imagery. Each image is also credited inline where it appears; this page consolidates those attributions.
Section overview images
- Hurricane Basics — NASA · Public domain
- Storm History — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory · Public domain
- Hurricane Hazards — U.S. Coast Guard · Public domain
- Hurricane Impacts — NOAA / USGS · Public domain
- Insurance — USGS · Public domain
- Engineering — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · CC BY 2.0
- Forecasting — NOAA · Public domain
- Hurricane Aviation — Airwolfhound · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hurricanes for Kids — NOAA · Public domain
- SimStorm Studio — NOAA / NWS · Public domain
Aviation Weather Forecasting Tools for Hurricane Operations
- NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations · Public domain A dropsonde falls away beneath the tail of NOAA's Gulfstream IV-SP jet during a hurricane surveillance flight
- NOAA / Lockheed Martin · Public domain Artist rendering of a GOES-R series geostationary weather satellite above Earth
- NOAA Photo Library · CC BY 2.0 Rows of black supercomputer cabinets in a NOAA data center
- National Hurricane Center / NOAA · Public domain National Hurricane Center five-day track forecast cone graphic for Hurricane Lorenzo
Case Studies: Historic Hurricane Reconnaissance Missions
- NOAA Central Library · Public domain A 1955 surface weather analysis map showing the closed low pressure center of Hurricane Janet
- NOAA / Satellite and Information Service · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 with a well-defined eye
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina as a large storm with a clear eye over the Gulf of Mexico
- NASA/NOAA GOES Project · Public domain Full-disk satellite view of the Western Hemisphere on October 23, 2015, with Hurricane Patricia off Mexico's Pacific coast
Civil Aviation and Hurricane Avoidance: How Airlines Navigate Around Tropical Cyclones
- Adam E. Moreira · CC BY-SA 4.0 A twin-engine Boeing 767 airliner taxis along a runway at JFK Airport
- FEMA / Win Henderson · Public domain A relief worker hands out clothing to an evacuee inside an airport terminal after Hurricane Katrina
- Eric Johnson · CC BY-SA 3.0 An airport control tower beneath a churning storm sky
- 4300streetcar · CC BY 4.0 A major airport and its control tower seen across the water under clearing storm clouds
Educational Resources & Interactive Content for Hurricane Aviation
- Smithsonian Institution · No restrictions Two children study a model spacecraft on display at the National Air Museum
- U.S. Air Force / Marnee Losurdo · Public domain A NOAA Corps officer speaks into a microphone in front of a camera at a hurricane outreach event
- Virginia Department of Education · CC BY 2.0 A student flies a multi-monitor desktop flight simulator showing a cockpit instrument panel
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory · Public domain Labeled photographs of a NOAA ocean drifter buoy showing the surface float, tether, and underwater drogue
How Hurricanes Affect Commercial Air Travel: Cancellations, Costs & Recovery
- OhanaUnited · CC BY-SA 4.0 An airport departure board showing rows of cancelled flights
- Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0 A long queue of travelers with luggage at an airport terminal
- Rijkswaterstaat · CC BY-SA 3.0 Freight being loaded onto an airliner on an airport ramp
Hurricane Aircraft Technology & Instruments: Dropsondes, SFMR & Radar
- NASA · Public domain Two side-by-side maps of dropsonde temperature and wind measurements at 800 and 400 millibars across a tropical storm
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory · Public domain Three NOAA hurricane researchers stand on the ramp in front of a WP-3D Orion aircraft
- U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Nicholas Monteleone · Public domain A weather reconnaissance crew member records data by hand on a clipboard aboard a Hurricane Hunter aircraft
- NOAA · Public domain NOAA scientist Joe Cione holds a Coyote uncrewed aircraft system with folding wings in a hangar
Hurricane Hunter Missions: How Crews Fly Into Hurricanes
- U.S. Air Force · Public domain The glass cockpit of a WC-130J Super Hercules with multifunction flight displays
- U.S. Air Force · Public domain A weather officer concentrates on instrument and radar displays at a console during a hurricane flight
- U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Emily Bloodworth · Public domain Aircrew work inside the cargo bay of a C-130 near the rear ramp
- U.S. Air Force / Tech. Sgt. Chance Babin · Public domain Aircrew load equipment aboard a WC-130J in the cargo bay
Hurricane Hunter Safety & Flight Dynamics: Flying in Extreme Weather
- U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Emily Bloodworth · Public domain A WC-130J Hurricane Hunter with all four propellers turning as a crew member walks in front on the ramp
- U.S. Air Force / Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson · Public domain Two Hurricane Hunter pilots seen from behind in the cockpit of a WC-130J during a reconnaissance flight
- NASA / Joshua Fisher · Public domain A military aircraft mounted on hydraulic jacks undergoing structural loads testing in a hangar
- NASA Glenn Research Center · Public domain A research pilot stands beside a jet cockpit holding a flight helmet with attached oxygen mask
Hurricane Reconnaissance Aircraft: WC-130J, P-3 Orion & G-IV Profiles
- U.S. Air Force / Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett · Public domain A pair of 403rd Wing C-130-family aircraft fly in formation over a coastal bay
- NOAA · Public domain NOAA's WP-3D Orion turboprop 'Miss Piggy' parked outside its hangar
- NOAA · Public domain The glass cockpit of NOAA's Gulfstream IV-SP in flight during a hurricane surveillance mission
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center · Public domain A NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft on approach to NASA Wallops with a chase plane behind
Introduction to Hurricane Aviation: The Science of Flying Into Storms
- U.S. Air Force · Public domain A WC-130J turboprop engine and propeller silhouetted against the towering clouds of a hurricane
- NOAA · Public domain NOAA's Gulfstream IV-SP jet and a WP-3D Orion turboprop fly in formation
- U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Nicholas Monteleone · Public domain An aerial reconnaissance weather officer studies a radar scope at a console aboard a WC-130J
- U.S. Air Force · Public domain The disorganized cloud field and ocean surface of a tropical storm seen from a reconnaissance aircraft
The Future of Hurricane Aviation: Drones, AI, and Next-Gen Technology
- U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson · Public domain A large MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aircraft in flight against a clear sky
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center · CC BY 2.0 Aerial view of a Northrop Grumman Global Hawk uncrewed aircraft on the ramp outside its hangar
- NOAA Satellites · Public domain Artist rendering of a GOES-R series geostationary satellite with its solar array deployed above a starfield
- Gregory Rocher / IFREMER · CC BY 4.0 Densely cabled server racks inside a high-performance computing data center
Eyewall Dynamics and Rapid Intensification
- NASA · Public domain Hurricane Irma photographed from the International Space Station, showing a sharply defined circular eye ringed by the eyewall
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center · CC BY 2.0 A powerful, well-organized hurricane viewed from space with a distinct eye and tightly wound spiral bands
- Lt. Cdr. Andrew Utama / NOAA Corps · Public domain The eye of Hurricane Milton photographed from a NOAA reconnaissance aircraft flying through the storm
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory · Public domain A satellite microwave image of an intense hurricane showing two concentric rings of rain around the center, a double eyewall
- Hal Pierce, NASA GSFC (TRMM) · Public domain A satellite radar image of a hurricane's internal rain structure, showing towering convective cells in the eyewall in 3D-like detail
How Do Hurricanes Form? A Visual Explainer
- NOAA / NESDIS · Public domain A satellite map of sea surface temperatures across the western North Atlantic, with large areas above 80°F (26.5°C) shaded in orange and red
- NOAA / NASA · Public domain A satellite image of a thick plume of Saharan dust blowing off the West African coast westward over the Atlantic Ocean
- NOAA / GOES-19 · Public domain A GOES satellite image of a newly formed tropical depression with curved bands of clouds spiraling toward a center
- NOAA · Public domain A map of tropical cyclone heat potential, showing deep reservoirs of warm ocean water shaded in red and orange along a storm's path
- NOAA / NESDIS · Public domain A satellite image of a tropical storm near Cuba being overtaken by a tan-colored mass of dry, dusty Saharan air
How Hurricanes Die: Landfall, Shear, and Extratropical Transition
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain A tropical cyclone whose center has moved over land, its cloud structure becoming ragged and disorganized
- NASA Earth Observatory (Jesse Allen) · Public domain A sea surface temperature map with a hurricane's track overlaid, showing warm and cool water along its path
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain A disorganized tropical storm whose low-level center is exposed and displaced from its main mass of thunderstorms
- Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS / NASA · Public domain A vast plume of dry, dusty Saharan air spreading west across the tropical Atlantic
- NOAA / GOES-East · Public domain A vast hybrid storm sprawling across the U.S. East Coast as it transitions from a hurricane into an extratropical cyclone
Hurricane vs. Typhoon vs. Cyclone: Understanding the Difference
- European Space Agency · CC BY 3.0 IGO A powerful tropical cyclone with a clear eye seen from space over the southwest Indian Ocean
- CIRA / EUMETSAT · Public domain A tropical cyclone with a sharply defined eye spinning clockwise over the southern Indian Ocean
- European Space Agency · CC BY 3.0 IGO A tropical cyclone off the coast of northwestern Australia seen from space
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain An intense typhoon with a large, well-defined eye in the western North Pacific
- Dilley et al. / World Bank & Columbia University · CC BY 3.0 A world map showing global tropical cyclone hazard, with the highest frequencies concentrated in the western Pacific
Rainbands, Wind Fields, and the Anatomy of a Storm
- MODIS / NASA Earth Observatory · Public domain A hurricane with a large, sharply defined circular eye at its center, seen from space
- Alexander Gerst, ESA/NASA · CC BY-SA 2.0 A close astronaut view of a hurricane's eye and the towering ring of cloud forming its eyewall
- National Weather Service (Key West) · Public domain A weather-radar image of Hurricane Irma showing a clear eye surrounded by curved spiral bands of rain
- Hal Pierce, NASA GSFC (TRMM) · Public domain A satellite rain-intensity image of a hurricane showing heavy rain concentrated on one side of the center
- MODIS / NASA Worldview · Public domain A very large hurricane whose cloud shield sprawls across a vast area of open ocean
The Complete Guide to Hurricanes
- NASA · Public domain The eye of Hurricane Isabel photographed from the International Space Station in 2003
The Saffir-Simpson Scale: What Each Category Really Means
- D.K. Demcheck, USGS · Public domain A large tree uprooted and toppled across a residential yard after a hurricane
- Infrogmation · CC BY-SA 2.5 A house roof with sections of shingles and decking stripped away by hurricane winds
- M. Amaya / VOA · Public domain A large tree uprooted onto a damaged house with downed power lines, after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Florida
- Jocelyn Augustino / FEMA · Public domain A house collapsed into a pile of debris sitting in standing floodwater after a hurricane
- Patsy Lynch / FEMA · Public domain A single-story house surrounded by floodwater that has swallowed its yard and street
Tropical Depressions, Storms, and Hurricanes: The Classification System
- CIRA / NOAA · Public domain An enhanced satellite image of a disorganized cluster of thunderstorms over the Gulf of Mexico
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain A compact, intense hurricane with a clear eye approaching the Yucatán Peninsula
- Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain An intense Category 5 hurricane with a large, sharply defined eye over the Gulf of Mexico
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain A large, powerful hurricane bearing down on the Florida peninsula
- CIRA / NOAA · Public domain A broad, loosely organized subtropical storm swirling over the open North Atlantic
How to Hurricane-Proof Your Home: An Engineering Guide
- The Bushranger · CC BY-SA 4.0 A coastal Florida home elevated on tall pilings above the flood zone
- U.S. Navy · Public domain A worker nailing plywood roof sheathing to roof framing
- FEMA / Robert Kaufmann · Public domain Rolling storm shutters closed over the windows of a coastal home
- U.S. Navy · Public domain A worker installing plywood over building windows ahead of a hurricane
- Climate Change Division · CC BY 4.0 A concrete seawall protecting a coastline
Nature-Based Solutions for Hurricanes
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · Public domain A coastal salt marsh with tidal channels
- Amaury Laporte · CC BY 2.0 Mangrove prop roots at the water's edge in Florida
- USFWS / Lia McLaughlin · Public domain An oyster reef built as a living shoreline at the water's edge
- Georgialh · CC BY-SA 4.0 Sea oats growing on a Florida sand dune
- lagohsep · CC BY-SA 2.0 Volunteers at a coastal land-reclamation project in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
The HSDRRS: New Orleans' $14 Billion Hurricane Flood Defense
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · CC BY 2.0 Aerial view of the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier under construction near New Orleans
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain The Seabrook Floodgate Structure near New Orleans
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · CC BY 2.0 Aerial view of the navigable sector gate at the West Closure Complex on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain A massive drainage pump at the 17th Street Canal pump station in New Orleans
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · CC BY 2.0 A reinforced concrete floodwall protecting New Orleans East
How Hurricane Forecasting Works
- NOAA / GOES science team · Public domain A GOES satellite full-disk view of Earth showing a hurricane
- NOAA · Public domain A NOAA ocean weather buoy floating at sea
- obz3rv3r · CC BY 2.0 The cockpit of a NOAA WP-3D Orion Hurricane Hunter aircraft
- NOAA · Public domain A NOAA crew member loading a dropsonde aboard a Hurricane Hunter aircraft
- NOAA / NHC · Public domain An NHC hurricane forecast cone of uncertainty graphic for Hurricane Earl in 2010
Hurricane Waves & Coastal Erosion: How Storms Reshape Shorelines
- MODIS / NASA GSFC · Public domain A large hurricane spinning over the open Atlantic Ocean, far from land
- National Park Service (Cape Hatteras NS) · Public domain A beachfront house collapsed into debris on a severely eroded beach, with waves reaching the remaining homes
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain An aerial view of a barrier island cut by a new inlet, with a road and bridge severed by the breach
- NASA Earth Observatory · Public domain A before-and-after satellite comparison of a New Jersey barrier community, showing homes and beach intact before a hurricane and breached afterward
Storm Surge Mechanics: A Deadly Coastal Hazard
- National Hurricane Center / NOAA · Public domain A National Hurricane Center map shading coastal zones by the height of storm surge flooding expected above ground
- NOAA · Public domain A diagram showing storm surge added on top of the normal high tide to produce a higher total storm tide above mean sea level
- Mark Wolfe / FEMA · Public domain A van lifted and impaled on a chain-link fence by storm surge, marked with a search-and-rescue X
- SMU Central University Libraries · No known copyright restrictions Splintered wreckage of wooden houses left by the 1900 Galveston hurricane
- Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0 A highway with overhead signs designating contraflow hurricane evacuation lanes
Tropical Cyclone Rainfall & Inland Flooding: The Hidden Hurricane Killer
- NASA Earth Observatory (IMERG) · Public domain A satellite-derived rainfall map showing a band of extreme rain totals across the Carolinas from Hurricane Florence
- NCDOT Communications · CC BY 2.0 Aerial view of a mountain community in North Carolina buried in mud and debris after catastrophic Helene flooding
- NASA (IMERG) · Public domain A satellite rainfall map of Hurricane Harvey showing extreme accumulations over southeast Texas
- NASA Earth Observatory (IMERG) · Public domain A satellite map of cumulative rainfall from slow-moving tropical systems over the Yucatán and Gulf
- Greg Henshall / FEMA · Public domain A road closed by a barricade where floodwater has covered the pavement ahead
Costliest Natural Disasters: Hurricanes in Global Context
- FEMA / Greg Henshall · Public domain A row of large homes on stilts lining a low Texas barrier-island coast
- FEMA / Andrea Booher · Public domain An aerial view of a California neighborhood reduced to ash and foundations by wildfire, with a few houses spared
- BenjaminReilly · CC BY-SA 3.0 A map showing the track of the 1970 Bhola cyclone across the Bay of Bengal into East Pakistan
- SMU Central University Libraries · Public domain A period stereograph showing a work party walking through the wreckage of Galveston after the 1900 hurricane
- Helena Wright · CC BY 2.0 A raised concrete cyclone shelter under construction on stilts in coastal Bangladesh
Hurricane Andrew (1992): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA · Public domain Satellite infrared image of Hurricane Andrew making landfall south of Miami in August 1992
- U.S. Department of Defense · Public domain The damaged Homestead Air Force Base entrance sign and control tower after Hurricane Andrew
- NOAA / NWS · Public domain Aerial view of a south Miami-Dade neighborhood flattened by Hurricane Andrew
- U.S. Air Force / MSgt. Don Wetterman · Public domain F-16 fighter jets in hangars stripped open by Hurricane Andrew at Homestead Air Force Base
- National Hurricane Center · Public domain Aerial view of damaged homes with ANDREW WAS HERE spray-painted on a roof
Hurricane Charley (2004): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA · Public domain Satellite image of compact Hurricane Charley approaching southwest Florida on August 13, 2004
- U.S. HUD · Public domain A building with its roof torn off by Hurricane Charley in the Punta Gorda area
- U.S. HUD · Public domain A home protected by metal hurricane shutters in the Hurricane Charley impact zone
- FEMA / Andrea Booher · Public domain Aerial view of a hurricane-damaged medical center in Charlotte County, Florida after Hurricane Charley
- U.S. HUD · Public domain A Punta Gorda home with its roof torn off and belongings strewn across the yard after Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Florence (2018): Complete History & Impact
- NASA / Alexander Gerst (ISS) · Public domain View looking down into the eye of Hurricane Florence from the International Space Station
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain A road washed out by Hurricane Florence's floodwaters in North Carolina
- Voice of America · Public domain A flooded downtown street in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain A Customs and Border Protection officer helps a resident evacuate with luggage and a pet during Hurricane Florence
- Willthacheerleader18 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Street flooding in Durham, North Carolina from Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Harvey (2017): Complete History & Impact
- NASA Earth Observatory · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Harvey approaching the Texas coast on August 25, 2017
- FEMA / Dominick Del Vecchio · Public domain Wind-damaged hotel in Rockport, Texas after Hurricane Harvey's Category 4 landfall
- Michael Slaten · CC BY-SA 4.0 A flooded residential street in the Houston area during Hurricane Harvey
- U.S. National Guard · Public domain Texas National Guard troops conducting high-water rescues in flooded streets during Hurricane Harvey
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain A Customs and Border Protection agent helps an elderly resident through storm debris after Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Helene (2024): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA / CIRA (GOES-16) · Public domain GOES-16 satellite image of Hurricane Helene making landfall on Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 on September 26, 2024
Hurricane Ian (2022): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA (GOES) · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Ian near peak intensity over the Gulf of Mexico in September 2022
- NOAA · Public domain Catastrophic damage in the Times Square district of Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian
- Lee County Sheriff's Office · Public domain The Sanibel Causeway severed in multiple places after Hurricane Ian
- U.S. National Guard · CC BY 2.0 Florida National Guard soldiers launching a boat for search and rescue after Hurricane Ian
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain A flooded highway in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ida (2021): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Ida at Category 4 landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2021
- Julie Joseph · Public domain A home in Houma, Louisiana with its roof torn off and power lines down after Hurricane Ida
- Destroyeraa · CC BY-SA 4.0 A flooded street in Essex County, New Jersey from Hurricane Ida's remnants
- NWS Mount Holly · Public domain EF3 tornado damage in Mullica Hill, New Jersey from Hurricane Ida
- NASA · Public domain Satellite image showing widespread flooding along the U.S. East Coast days after Hurricane Ida
Hurricane Ike (2008): Complete History & Impact
- NASA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Ike's enormous wind field filling the Gulf of Mexico in September 2008
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain The Bolivar Peninsula in Texas scoured to its foundations after Hurricane Ike
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain A lone house left standing amid the swept-clean devastation of Gilchrist, Texas after Hurricane Ike
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain A hurricane-damaged fire station on Galveston Island after Hurricane Ike
- U.S. Navy · Public domain Aerial view of damaged boats at a boatyard on the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Irma (2017): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Irma at Category 5 intensity over the Atlantic on September 6, 2017
- Bennylin · CC BY-SA 4.0 A home on Barbuda stripped to its frame by Hurricane Irma
- U.S. National Guard · Public domain Florida National Guard members supporting evacuation and traffic operations before Hurricane Irma
- Voice of America · Public domain Debris lining a street in Islamorada in the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma
- Florida National Guard · CC BY 2.0 Flooding in the Ortega neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida after Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Ivan (2004): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Ivan at Category 5 intensity in the Caribbean Sea in September 2004
- madmack66 · CC BY 2.0 Widespread destruction in Grenada after Hurricane Ivan, including the damaged national stadium
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain A collapsed beachfront home on the Alabama coast after Hurricane Ivan
- U.S. Department of Defense · Public domain Hurricane Ivan damage to a building roof at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain Beachfront structures buried in surge-driven sand and debris on the Alabama coast after Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Katrina (2005): Complete History & Impact
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina near peak Category 5 intensity over the Gulf of Mexico on August 28, 2005
- NOAA · Public domain Aerial view of the breached 17th Street Canal floodwall in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
- U.S. Navy · Public domain Aerial view of flooded New Orleans neighborhoods submerged after the levee failures
- U.S. Coast Guard / PO2 NyxoLyno Cangemi · Public domain A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer pulls a pregnant woman from her flooded New Orleans home
- FEMA / Mark Wolfe · Public domain Catastrophic structural damage along the Mississippi coast after Hurricane Katrina
- FEMA / Marty Bahamonde · Public domain Evacuees sheltering at the Louisiana Superdome after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Laura (2020): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA · Public domain NOAA satellite image of Hurricane Laura making landfall near Cameron, Louisiana on August 27, 2020
- Louisiana Sea Grant · CC BY 2.0 A boat deposited against a stilted home in Cameron Parish, Louisiana by Hurricane Laura's storm surge
- Josiah Pugh · Public domain The Capital One Tower in Lake Charles with its windows blown out after Hurricane Laura
- Josiah Pugh · Public domain Masked evacuees and relief supplies at a bus staging area after Hurricane Laura during the COVID-19 pandemic
- U.S. National Guard · CC BY 2.0 Louisiana National Guard members responding in Lake Charles after Hurricane Laura
Hurricane Maria (2017): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Maria making landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017
- NIST · Public domain A structure collapsed over a basketball court in Cayey, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria
- NOAA NESDIS · Public domain Satellite night-lights of Puerto Rico before and after Hurricane Maria, showing the island gone dark
- U.S. Air Force / Tech. Sgt. Larry Reid Jr. · Public domain A resident of Barranquitas, Puerto Rico receives food and water weeks after Hurricane Maria
- Western Area Power / Jeff Miller · CC BY 2.0 Workers repairing the electrical grid on Vieques, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Michael (2018): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Michael making landfall on the Florida Panhandle on October 10, 2018
- NOAA · Public domain NOAA aerial survey of Mexico Beach, Florida showing entire blocks of homes destroyed by Hurricane Michael
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain Aerial close-up of a home torn apart by Hurricane Michael's winds
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Public domain Aerial view of snapped trees and damaged homes across the Florida Panhandle after Hurricane Michael
- Voice of America · Public domain Uprooted trees and downed power lines on homes in Panama City, Florida after Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Milton (2024): Complete History & Impact
- NOAA / CIRA (NOAA-21 VIIRS) · Public domain NOAA-21 VIIRS satellite image of Hurricane Milton at Category 5 intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on October 7, 2024
Hurricane Rita (2005): Complete History & Impact
- NASA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Rita at peak Category 5 intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on September 22, 2005
- FEMA / Ed Edahl · Public domain Bumper-to-bumper evacuation traffic leaving the Houston area before Hurricane Rita
- NTSB · Public domain The burned-out motorcoach on Interstate 45 after the Hurricane Rita evacuation bus fire
- FEMA / Liz Roll · Public domain Wind-blown debris on a downtown street in southeast Texas after Hurricane Rita
- Brian Holden · Public domain A building gutted by Hurricane Rita in Cameron Parish, Louisiana
Hurricane Sandy (2012): Complete History & Impact
- NASA · Public domain Satellite view of Hurricane Sandy over the U.S. East Coast on October 29, 2012
- David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 Floodwaters on Avenue C in Manhattan's East Village during Hurricane Sandy
- U.S. Air Force / Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen · Public domain Aerial view of the Seaside Heights amusement pier with the Star Jet roller coaster collapsed into the ocean
- Anthony Quintano · CC BY 2.0 The Star Jet roller coaster standing in the surf at Seaside Heights after Hurricane Sandy
- FEMA / Andrea Booher · Public domain Aftermath of the fire that destroyed more than 100 homes in Breezy Point, Queens during Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Season Trends: How Activity Has Changed Over 170 Years
- Spiffy sperry · CC BY-SA 3.0 A chart of Atlantic Accumulated Cyclone Energy by year from 1950 to 2006
- NOAA · Public domain A satellite map of Atlantic sea surface temperatures highlighting the warm Gulf Stream
- NOAA GFDL · Public domain A chart of Atlantic storm counts since 1878 adjusted upward for storms likely missed before satellites
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain A satellite close-up of Hurricane Milton's small, sharply defined eye at peak intensity
Hurricane Wilma (2005): Complete History & Impact
- NASA · Public domain Satellite image of Hurricane Wilma at peak Category 5 intensity on October 19, 2005
- NASA (ISS) · Public domain View looking down into the tiny eye of Hurricane Wilma from the International Space Station
- eheçåtzin · CC BY 2.0 A wrecked building in Cancun, Mexico after Hurricane Wilma
- K7HPN · CC0 A snapped utility pole and downed power lines along a road in the Miami area after Hurricane Wilma
- K7HPN · CC0 Downed power lines along a suburban road in the Miami area after Hurricane Wilma
Retired Hurricane Names and What They Tell Us
- National Hurricane Center · Public domain A map tracing the paths of every named storm in the record 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain A satellite view of Hurricane Beryl at Category 5 strength in the Caribbean
- National Hurricane Center / NWS · Public domain A map tracing all 30 named storms of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- NOAA Satellites · Public domain A GOES-16 satellite image of Hurricane Helene approaching the Gulf Coast in September 2024
The Deadliest & Costliest Hurricanes in U.S. History
- SMU Central University Libraries · Public domain Survivors walking through the wreckage after the 1900 Galveston hurricane
- Florida Keys Public Libraries · CC BY 2.0 Wreckage in the Florida Keys after the 1935 Labor Day hurricane
- NOAA · Public domain A 1928 surface weather map tracking the Okeechobee hurricane
- NOAA · Public domain Vessels wrecked at Ensenada Honda, Puerto Rico by Hurricane Hugo in 1989
- NOAA · Public domain A car thrown onto a fence by Hurricane Camille in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1969
Climate Change and Hurricane Intensity: What the Data Shows
- Ed Hawkins, University of Reading · CC BY-SA 4.0 A series of vertical stripes shading from blue to deep red, showing global average temperature rising from 1850 to recent years
- NASA Scientific Visualization Studio · Public domain A world map showing 2023 temperatures running far above the long-term average across most of the globe and oceans
- CIRA / NOAA · Public domain A satellite image of Hurricane Otis intensifying explosively into a compact, powerful storm near Mexico's Pacific coast
- Robert A. Rohde / Global Warming Art · CC BY-SA 3.0 A line graph of global average sea level rising steadily over the past century
- NASA (IMERG) · Public domain A satellite rainfall map showing extreme accumulations from Hurricane Harvey centered over Houston, Texas
Government Aid After Hurricanes: FEMA, SBA Loans, and What to Expect
- The White House · Public domain The U.S. President signing a major disaster declaration document at a desk
- Mike Moore / FEMA · Public domain A FEMA inspector meeting with a homeowner outside a hurricane-damaged house
- Daniel Llargues / FEMA · Public domain Survivors meeting with aid representatives at desks inside a disaster recovery center
- Daniel Llargues / FEMA · Public domain Signs marking a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center where survivors can apply for assistance in person
Hurricane Damage Statistics
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain Aerial view of a Louisiana neighborhood submerged by floodwater after Hurricane Ida
- FEMA · Public domain The historic Atlantic City boardwalk reduced to splintered planks after Hurricane Sandy
- NOAA · Public domain Aerial view of dense beachfront development in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, flattened by Hurricane Ian
- FEMA / Jocelyn Augustino · Public domain An aerial view of the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike, with only a handful of homes left amid empty lots
- Jocelyn Augustino / FEMA · Public domain Aerial view of homes submerged and destroyed by Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters in Louisiana
Post-Hurricane Recovery: Damage, Claims, and Repairs
- Earl Armstrong / FEMA · Public domain A neighborhood of homes covered with blue emergency roof tarps after a hurricane
- Ed Edahl / FEMA · Public domain An inspector measuring and recording damage to the exterior wall of a hurricane-damaged house
- Robert Kaufmann / FEMA · Public domain A front-end loader scooping a pile of hurricane debris into a dump truck on a residential street
- Greg Henshall / FEMA · Public domain A convoy of trucks hauling away mountains of hurricane debris
The Economic Ripple Effects of Hurricanes
- GuavaTrain · CC0 An offshore oil and gas platform standing in open ocean
- Bob Embleton (geograph.org.uk) · CC BY-SA 2.0 A farm field inundated with floodwater, the standing crop submerged
- Niels Johannes · CC BY-SA 4.0 Gantry cranes and stacked shipping containers at a busy container port terminal
- U.S. Energy Information Administration · Public domain A map of the Gulf of Mexico dense with offshore oil and gas infrastructure
The Environmental Impacts of Hurricanes
- Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory · Public domain Before-and-after satellite images of the Chandeleur Islands showing land lost to a hurricane
- Eirian Evans (geograph.org.uk) · CC BY-SA 2.0 A coastal salt marsh threaded with tidal channels along an estuary
- Bruno de Giusti · CC BY-SA 2.5 A shallow coral reef with large patches of bleached, white coral
- pingnews.com · Public domain A dense coastal mangrove forest with roots anchored in tidal water
Common Hurricane Insurance Pitfalls That Leave Homeowners Underprotected
- FEMA / Walter Jennings · Public domain Waterfront homes torn open and undermined by storm surge after a hurricane
- PCHS-NJROTC · CC BY-SA 4.0 A blue tarp covers the storm-damaged roof of a single-family home after Hurricane Ian
- Zach Rudisin · CC BY-SA 4.0 Homeowners gut a flood-damaged house down to the brick and studs during reconstruction
- FEMA / Marvin Nauman · Public domain Ruined furniture, mattresses, and household contents piled outside a flood-damaged home
- FEMA / Win Henderson · Public domain Emergency-management staff interview a resident and take notes during a post-storm assessment
How to File a Hurricane Insurance Claim: Step-by-Step Guide
- FEMA / Jacinta Quesada · Public domain A catastrophe-restoration crew works at a motel with a blue-tarped roof after a hurricane
- FEMA / George Armstrong · Public domain A damage assessor records the condition of a storm-destroyed home on a rugged tablet
- FEMA / George Armstrong · Public domain A representative meets one-on-one with survivors at a disaster recovery center to help start their paperwork
- FEMA / Mark Wolfe · Public domain Residents wait to meet with disaster-assistance staff inside a recovery center
- FEMA / Mike Moore · Public domain Ruined appliances and water-damaged contents piled at the curb after a flood
Hurricane Insurance 101: Homeowners vs. Flood vs. Windstorm Policies
- David E. Lucas · Public domain An aerial view of a suburban residential neighborhood
- FEMA / National Flood Insurance Program · Public domain A FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) showing shaded flood zones across a community
- Andrea Booher / FEMA · Public domain Aerial view of a Florida mobile-home community flattened by Hurricane Charley's winds
- Public domain · Public domain A home submerged to its roofline by Hurricane Katrina floodwaters in New Orleans
How Do Scientists Study Hurricanes? Careers & Science for Kids
- U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez · Public domain Technicians prepare a NOAA GOES weather satellite before it is loaded onto an aircraft
- NASA Stennis Space Center · Public domain A large yellow NOAA weather buoy floating in a harbor next to a boat
- National Hurricane Center · Public domain A National Hurricane Center forecast map showing a storm's predicted track and forecast cone
- NASA · Public domain Rows of powerful computers inside a climate and weather supercomputing center
Hurricane History for Kids: The Biggest Storms Ever
- NOAA Satellites · Public domain A satellite view of Hurricane Katrina, a huge swirl of clouds covering the Gulf of Mexico
- NOAA / CIRA · Public domain A satellite image of Hurricane Maria making landfall on Puerto Rico
- The National Guard · Public domain A rescued dog rides on a boat as people and pets are evacuated through Harvey's floodwaters
- U.S. Air Force / Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez · Public domain Technicians carefully move a NOAA GOES weather satellite at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Hurricane Safety for Kids: How to Stay Safe in a Storm
- National Hurricane Center · Public domain A five-day hurricane forecast cone showing the storm's likely path
- FEMA · Public domain Two people listening to a NOAA Weather Radio at home
- FEMA / George Armstrong · Public domain Cleanup crews shovel storm debris from a road after a hurricane
- U.S. Navy / Rob Wesselman · Public domain A team carries a fallen tree out of the water during a community cleanup
Make Your Own Hurricane! Fun Science Experiments for Kids
- Carlos Adampol Galindo · CC BY-SA 2.0 A swirling vortex of water forms a funnel shape in a clear container
- NOAA · Public domain A satellite map showing warm sea surface temperatures across the western Atlantic Ocean
- Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0 A weather station with a spinning cup anemometer and wind vane on a pole
- Christine Hegermiller, USGS · Public domain Powerful storm waves crashing onto a rocky coastline
What Is a Hurricane? A Kid's Guide to Big Storms
- NOAA Satellites · Public domain Tall thunderstorm clouds bubbling up over warm ocean water, seen from a weather satellite
- NASA (ISS crew) · Public domain A hurricane seen from space with a clear round eye at the center and spiraling cloud bands
- Daniel Di Palma · CC BY-SA 4.0 Palm trees stripped of fronds and a snapped tree in a Miami Beach park after Hurricane Irma
- National Hurricane Center / NWS · Public domain A map showing the looping paths of all the named storms from one Atlantic hurricane season