This map shows historical North/Central American tropical storm and hurricane tracks since 1980 as maintained by the National Hurricane Center at NOAA. Storms are classified according to their wind speed. Tropical depressions and storms are the least severe, but often worsen and become a hurricane. Hurricanes are categorized into five categories according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Tropical storms are given names to improve communication regarding the storm. Six lists of 22 names, maintained by the World Meterological Organization, are cycled through with a list being repeated every seventh year. Changes in the list are made in the case of especially devestasting storms, whose names are retired from future use.
Click any segment on the map to explore that storm's entire track, then click the reset button below to view all storms.
Data acquired from NOAA.
Map authored by Eileen Grady.