Hurricane Pictures

view of Earth from space showing hurricane
© Photographer: Vladislav Gurfinkel | Agency: Dreamstime.com
Hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise. In the Southern Hemisphere, hurricanes rotate clockwise.

hurricane winds blowing palm trees
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Hurricane winds swirling around the center of the storm have a sustained speed of at least 74 mph.

hurricane thunderstorm
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Bands of thunderstorms circulating outward from the eye are part of the water cycle that feeds the storm.

hurricane flooding
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A big hurricane can dump dozens of inches of rain in just a day or two, creating massive floods.

hurricane caused property damage
© Photographer: Doug Schneider | Agency: Dreamstime.com
Hurricanes can cause billions of dollars of property damage when they hit heavily populated areas.

car flipped by hurricane
© Photographer: Brian Nolan | Agency: Dreamstime.com
High sustained winds from a hurricane can be strong enough to flip over a car.

storm surge at high tide
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If the storm surge happens during a high tide, it causes beach erosion and significant inland flooding.

ocean-front property damaged by hurricane
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Ocean-front property is particularly susceptible to damage from hurricane storm surges.

coastal town hit by hurricane
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The combination of winds, rain and flooding from a strong hurricane can level a coastal town.

house collapsed after hurricane
© Photographer: Brian Nolan | Agency: Dreamstime.com
The extent of hurricane damage depends on factors like the category of the storm and the angle of impact.

See more hurricane pictures.