Atlantic hurricane

An Atlantic tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour). It forms in the North Atlantic basin, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical cyclogenesis: The formation and initial development of a tropical cyclone over warm ocean water. Atlantic hurricanes begin through this process, which depends on ocean heat and favorable atmospheric conditions.
National Hurricane Center: The U.S. agency responsible for forecasting and tracking tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific. It issues official Atlantic hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings.
Hurricane Katrina: A powerful 2005 Atlantic hurricane that caused catastrophic flooding and destruction along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Its New Orleans levee failures made Katrina a defining case of hurricane-related disaster.
Tropical storm: A tropical cyclone with sustained winds from 39 to 73 miles per hour. It has the same general storm structure but falls below the hurricane wind threshold.
Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale: A five-category scale that classifies hurricanes by their maximum sustained wind speeds. It assigns Atlantic hurricanes categories based on the winds used to define their intensity.
Tropical cyclone forecast model: A numerical weather prediction system designed to simulate tropical cyclone behavior and movement. Models estimate Atlantic hurricane tracks and intensity, informing official forecasts.
Hurricane Sandy: A large 2012 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Caribbean and later made landfall in the northeastern United States as a post-tropical cyclone. Sandy illustrates how a hurricane’s hazards can persist as its structure and classification change.
Tropical depression: A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 38 miles per hour or less. It is an organized Atlantic tropical cyclone that has not reached hurricane strength.
Atlantic hurricane season: The part of the year when tropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic basin. Seasonal ocean warmth and atmospheric conditions shape when Atlantic hurricanes commonly develop.
Hurricane warning: An alert that hurricane conditions are expected in a specified area, usually within 36 hours. Warnings communicate when an Atlantic hurricane threatens a location soon enough for protective action.

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