Hurricanes can produce severe impacts including high winds that tear off roofs and cause structural collapse, flooding that damages household belongings, destruction of roads and bridges, isolation of communities, and landslides.
October 30, 2025
high
descriptive
General hazards and impacts associated with hurricanes.
Warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures can strengthen and intensify hurricanes.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Climatic factor that influences tropical cyclone intensity.
People in coastal communities commonly self-evacuate to safer inland locations ahead of approaching hurricanes.
October 29, 2025
high
temporal
Typical protective behavior employed by residents when hurricanes approach.
Warmer ocean and atmospheric temperatures increase the potential for hurricanes to produce heavier rainfall.
October 28, 2025
high
process
Thermodynamic effect whereby higher temperatures increase moisture availability and precipitation intensity in tropical cyclones.
Slow-moving tropical cyclones and hurricanes can produce prolonged heavy rainfall over the same area, which increases the risk of catastrophic flash flooding and landslides.
October 25, 2025
high
temporal
Meteorological behavior of slow-moving tropical cyclones and associated hazards
Swells generated by tropical cyclones (including hurricanes) can propagate to distant coastal areas and create life-threatening surf and rip currents.
high
hazard
Coastal impacts from tropical cyclones
Hurricanes generate ocean swells that can reach coastlines and create life-threatening surf and rip currents.
high
process
Meteorological hazards associated with tropical cyclones affecting coastal areas.
Outer bands of hurricanes can produce heavy rainfall that increases the risk of flash flooding in impacted regions.
high
process
Hydrological impacts of tropical cyclone rainbands on vulnerable areas.
Intense rainfall from hurricanes can cause life-threatening flooding and numerous landslides in affected areas.
high
hazard
Heavy precipitation associated with hurricanes increases flood and slope-failure risk in vulnerable terrain.
Hurricanes can produce storm surge of multiple meters and heavy localized rainfall that inundate coastal and low-lying areas.
high
impact
Storm surge and intense rainfall are primary mechanisms by which hurricanes cause coastal flooding and inundation.
Hurricanes can damage critical infrastructure such as power systems and hospitals, leading to widespread outages, medical evacuations, and disruptions to fuel and food supplies.
high
impact
Infrastructure impacts from hurricanes can exacerbate existing economic or humanitarian crises and complicate emergency response.
Hurricanes can produce torrential rain and fierce winds that cause flooding and can knock down trees and power lines.
high
descriptive
General hazards and impacts associated with hurricanes in affected regions.
Strong hurricanes can cause widespread infrastructure failures, including snapping power lines, knocking out communications and water systems, disrupting food and water distribution, damaging or destroying buildings, and destroying crop fields.
high
hazard
These impacts are common hazards associated with high-intensity tropical cyclones affecting coastal and inland communities.