This hurricane season has kicked off with an intense and early onset, causing fatalities, flooding, and leaving many without electricity across the U.S. − and it’s still ongoing.

In late May, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported a forecast for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, predicting an 85% likelihood of a busier-than-normal season from June 1 to November 30.

Already this season, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, followed by Hurricane Debby, which hit Florida as a Category 1 and later impacted South Carolina as a Tropical Storm.

This week, a weather disturbance in the Atlantic transformed into Tropical Storm Ernesto, marking the fifth named storm for the 2024 hurricane season.

The storm originated at sea on Monday, moving towards the Caribbean, and intensified into a Category 1 hurricane by Wednesday morning as it passed north of Puerto Rico, leading to widespread flooding and power outages in the area.

As the hurricane season continues, here are the top five U.S. states that have faced the most hurricanes, based on landfall data through 2022 – several of which may again experience severe weather in the upcoming months, typically considered the most active period for storms.

A major hurricane is categorized as a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale of Hurricane Intensity. Notably, only four Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall since 1851, according to past reports by YSL News.

Top 5 states most affected by hurricanes over the years

Below are the five states that have endured the most hurricanes. The statistics for 2024 will be included once the season concludes.

This also excludes a full tally of 2023’s hurricane impacts – that year featured only one Category 4 (Hurricane Idalia in Florida) within the top five states, according to Meteorologist Neal Dorst from NOAA, the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, and the Hurricane Research Division, who provided insights to YSL News.

5. South Carolina

Overall, South Carolina has recorded 32 hurricanes, including five that reached Category 3 or 4 intensity. Interestingly, the state has never encountered a Category 5 hurricane.

4. North Carolina

In the neighboring Tar Heel State, North Carolina has experienced 58 hurricanes (with seven classified as Category 3 or 4). Similar to South Carolina, this state has never been hit by a Category 5 hurricane.

3. Louisiana

Traveling westward, Louisiana has encountered 63 hurricanes (with 19 categorized as Category 3 through 5). The state’s one Category 5 hurricane, Katrina in August 2005, was particularly devastating, resulting in nearly 1,400 deaths and billions in damages. This storm had sustained winds of 175 miles per hour.

2. Texas

Next, Texas has faced 64 hurricanes (with 19 categorized as Category 3 or Category 4). The state has never reported a Category 5 hurricane occurrence.

1. Florida

Florida holds the distinction of being the most hurricane-prone state, registering 120 hurricanes (including 37 that were Category 3 through Category 5). Among these, two were classified as Category 5: Hurricane Michael in October 2018 and Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, both of which resulted in thousands of lost lives.

What Makes Certain States More Prone to Hurricanes?

The prominent ranking of these five states is attributed to “the combination of extensive coastlines and the trajectory of Atlantic hurricanes,” explained Dorst.

According to him, the majority of storms in the Atlantic are influenced by the winds of the subtropical ridge, which plays a significant role in the western Atlantic Ocean.

“This phenomenon typically directs storms towards Florida. After passing over the peninsula, they often move into the Gulf of Mexico, heading towards Texas or Louisiana,” Dorst noted. “Storms that veer east of Florida may re-curved north and east, potentially striking the coasts of the Carolinas, which extend further into the Atlantic.”

Although Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have coastlines that are at risk, Dorst emphasized that their coastlines are shorter, leading to statistically fewer hurricane landfalls.