The cities listed below are ranked 1 through 50 with the amount of years between a Storm or Hurricane coming within 60 to 80 subjective miles n-s-e or west of that city (in parenthesis). This ranking method is based on tracking charts dating back to 1871 from every Hurricane Season in the Atlantic basin. Keep in mind when viewing this list that Florida and the S.W Caribbean get the most action due to vulnerability of all 6 months of Hurricane Season. The east Caribbean only has August, September and October as main threats!!This list is updated at the end of each Hurricane Season & re-calculated!! (caution!! if this list was calculated only on hurricane hits, it would be totally different.)
Rankings = #1 most hits and Brushes to #50 ,This list is compiled out of our 155 cities & Islands throughout U.S,Mex and all Caribbean Islands.The rankings are based on all Hurricanes as well as Tropical Storms!!
1st Tiebreaker for cities is # of direct hits by Hurricanes!!
2nd tiebreaker is # of direct hits by Tropical Storms!!
The Top 50!!
Updated to include the 2009 Hurricane Season
rankings adjusted on 1/24/10
CAUTION!!This ranking system has become very popular with Insurance companies,schools & local government offices. The ranking list has shown up on company brochures,text books & government hurricane pamphlets with mistakes. We have found many print errors for example--(title "Hurricane prone areas Delray bch,Florida hit by hurricanes every 2.56 years") not true,this is for both TROPICAL STORMS & hurricanes. We do not want people thinking Delray Bch gets hit by a hurricane every three years. This list changes after each hurricane season, so if you are planning a document to last for more than one year the rankings may be inaccurate. Please allow us to proof read the documents you plan on using before inaccurate information spreads, contact jim@hurricanecity.com . Under no circumstances may this code be reproduced on other web pages,however you are more than welcome to link to this page.(see comments in hidden html) Thankyou!!!
| These cities & Islands are affected (within 60 to 70miles **subjective to size damage ect;**) more than any other cities by tropical systems SINCE 1871 | ||
| 1)Grand Cayman | every 2.17 years | Was not affected in 2009 but remains the Tropical Storm capital of the Atlantic basin, brushed or hit by Hurricanes & Tropical Storms 64 times from the 1871 season until now(WOW) |
| 2)Cape Hatteras,North Carolina | every 2.40 years | Was not affected in 2009 but remains the most affected area in the U.S by named storms.If this list ranked for only hurricane hits Cape hatteras would be ranked roughly 15th with 18 hurricanes.(affected 58 times since 1871) |
| 3)Abaco Island | every 2.40 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but remains the most affected area in the Bahamas(58 times since 1871) |
| 4)Grand Bahama Island,Bahamas | every 2.48 years | Had a quiet 2009 Hurricane season .Ironically if this list was only for hurricanes,this island would still be ranked #4(Affected 56 times since 1871) |
| 5)Andros Island,Bahamas | every 2.48 years | had a quiet hurricane season in 2009 , 1 less hurricane hit than Abaco. (affected 57 times since 1871) |
| 6)Cancun Mexico | every 2.53 years | Moves up 3 positions due to affects from Hurricane Ida in 2009, affected 55 times since 1871 |
| 7)Grand Isle,Louisiana | every 2.57 years | affected by Tropical storm Ida in 2009 and moves up 3 positions to #7 . 19 hurricane hits put this city at the top of the 2.57 group & the most affected in Louisiana.(affected 54 times) |
| 8)Isle of Youth,Cuba | every 2.57 years | Drops 3 positions due to a quiet 2009 season. The most affected area in Cuba(affected 54 times since 1871) |
| 9)Delray bch,Florida | every 2.57 years | drops 2 positions due to a quiet 09 season. Still the most affected city in Florida, but if this were based on only hurricanes would be ranked 40th.(54 times) |
| 10)Bermuda | every 2.57 years | Also drops 2 positions due to a quiet season in 2009 . Same amount of hurricane hits but four less T.S hits than Delray. |
| 11)Hollywood,Florida | every 2.62 years | been quiet since the 2006 season but remains in the same position due to adjustments above. Top of the 2.62 group with 18 direct hurricane hits since 1871 (affected 53 times ) |
| 12)Cabo Corrientes,Cuba | every 2.62 years | Brushed by Hurricane Ida in 2009 and moves up 7 positions. This location on the very west tip of Cuba has really moved up the list the past two years. You may ask why is Isle of youth ranked higher? since 1871 many Storms & Hurricanes have passed to far N.E heading to Fla or too far South heading to Yucatan while going into Gulf,also less vulnerable to late season storms than Isle of youth.(affected 53 times since 1871) |
| 13)Deerfield bch,Florida | every 2.62 years | Been quiet since 2006 season and drops 1 more position, 2 less hurricanes than Hollywood (affected 53 times since 1871) |
| 14)Boca Raton,Florida | every 2.62 years | Quiet since 2006 season and drops 1 more position,three less hurricanes than Deerfield (affected 53 times since 1871) |
| 15)Ft Pierce,Florida | every 2.67 years | Had a quiet 2009 season and drops 1 position . This city would be ranked #3 if this was only for hurricane hits with 23 direct hurricane hits since 1871 .(affected 52 times) |
| 16)Florida city,Florida | every 2.67 years | Also drops 1 position due to a queit 2009 season. One less direct hurricane hit than Ft Pierce (Affected 52 times since 1871.) |
| 17)Bimini,Bahamas | every 2.67 years | Quiet since 2005 and drops another position (affected 52 times since 1871) |
| 18)Wilmington,North Carolina | every 2.67 years | Also drops 1 position due to a quiet 2009 season. Ironically if this list was only for direct hurricane hits it would be ranked roughly the same with 17 direct hurricane hits.(affected 52 times since 1871) |
| 19)Merida, Mexico | every 2.67 years | Quiet since 2005 and drops one more position.(affected 52 times since 1871) |
| 20)Key West,Florida | every 2.73 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but stays in the same position due to calculations above & below. 19 direct hurricane hits put this city at the top of the 2.73 group. If this list were hurricanes only this city would crack the top 10. (affected 51 times since 1871) |
| 21)Miami,Florida | every 2.73 years | Quiet since 2006 but remains in the same position due to adjustments above & below. Six less T.S hits that Key West since 1871 as tiebreaker as they both have 19 hurricane hits.(affected 51 times) |
| 22)Fort Lauderdale,Florida | every 2.73 years | Quiet since 2006 but stays in the same position due to adjustments above & below. Ranked 1 slot lower than Miami due to three less hurricane hits since 1871. (Affected 51 times since 1871) |
| 23)Grenada | every 2.73 years | Had a quiet 2009 Hurricane season & drops 1 position.Only 9 direct hurricane hits since 1871, this city would not crack the top 50 if not for all of the tropical storms.(affected 51 times since 1871) |
| 24)Stuart,Florida | every 2.78 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but stays the same due to adjustments above & below. Top of the 2.78 group with 24 hurricane hits and would be at the number 1 position if this were only for hurricane hits..(affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 25)Palm bch,Florida | every 2.78 years | A quiet 2009 season but stays in the same position due to adjustments above & below. Would be ranked in the top 10 if this were for hurricane hits only with 21. (affected 50 times since 1871) |
| 26)Cozumel,Mexico | every 2.78 years | Moves up 2 positions due to being affected by Hurricane Ida in 2009. Why is Cancun ranked so much higher #6. Cancun been affected 6 more times than Cozumel while being closer to the Yucatan channel being brushed by many systems recurving in the Yucatan Channel.Strangely Cozumel has had more direct Hurricane hits than Cancun but the rankings are based on brushes & hits by T-Storms and Hurricanes so Cancun is ranked much higher.. |
| 27)Spring Hill,Florida | every 2.78 years | Been quiet since 2004 & drops another position.This area gets affected by the big bend storms as well as crossovers from both the east & SW Fla coasts.The most affected city on the Florida west coast.(affected 50 times) |
| 28)Morehead city,North Carolina | every 2.84 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & drops 1 position. This city would be in the top 10 if this were for hurricane hits only 21.(affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 29)Saint Martin/Maarten | every 2.84 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but remains at 29 due to positioning above & below.(Affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 30)Lake worth,Florida | every 2.84 years | Quiet since 2005 but remains in the same position due to adjustments above & below.(Affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 31)Turks & Caicos Islands. | every 2.84 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but remains in the same position due to adjustments above & below.(affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 32)Elizabeth city,North carolina | every 2.84 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but remains in the same position due to adjustments above & below.(Affected 49 times since 1871) |
| 33)Jupiter,Florida | every 2.90 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but stays the same. This city has been hit by a hurricane 25 times since 1871(Hurricane hit capital of Atlantic basin) but is ranked down at #32 due to being (Affected 48 times since 1871) |
| 34)Eleuthera Island,Bahamas | every 2.90 years | had a quiet 2009 season but stays in the same position. Two less direct hurricane hits than Lake Worth since 1871.(affected 49 times) |
| 35)Key Largo,Florida | every 2.90 years | Quiet since 2006 but stays in the same position due to other adjustments . Ten less hurricane hits than Jupiter and would be ranked nearly the same if this list were for hurricanes only. (affected 48 times since 1871) |
| 36)Fort Walton,Florida | every 2.96 years | Moves up 5 positions due to being affected by tropical storm Claudette in 2009.(affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 37)Morgan City,Louisiana | every 2.96 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but remains in same position due to adjustments above & below. (affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 38)Pensacola,Florida | every 2.96 years | Affected by tropical storm Ida in 2009 and moves up 4 positions.The tiebreaker is 3 less tropical storm hits than Ft Walton for the lower ranking. (affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 39)Galveston,Texas | every 2.96 years | Had a quiet 2009 season and drops 3 positions but is the most affected area in Texas. (affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 40)Little San Salvador,Bahamas | every 2.96 years | Quiet since 2004 & drops 2 more positions. (affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 41)Destin,Florida | every 2.96 years | Moves up 3 positions due to affects of Tropical Storm Claudette in 2009. Ranked lower than Ft Walton due to 3 less direct hurricane hits since 1871.(affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 42)Cedar Key,Florida | every 2.96 years | Had a quiet 2009 season and drops 2 positions.This city would not crack the top 50 if this were hurricanes only 11.(affected 47 times since 1871) |
| 43)Vero bch,Florida | every 3.02 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & drops 3 positions. Tops the 3.02 list with 18 hurricane hits.(affected 46 times since 1871) |
| 44)Havana,Cuba | every 3.02 years | Had a quiet 2009 season and drops 1 position.(Affected 46 times). |
| 45)Jacksonville,Florida | every 3.02 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & stays at same position.(affected 46 times) |
| 46)Nassau,Bahamas | every 3.02 years | Had a quiet 2009 season and stays the same. 5 less hurricane hits than neighboring Andros Isl which is very high on this list and gets many more systems brushing to south.(affected 46 times since 1871) |
| 47)Martinique | every 3.02 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & remains in the same position.(affected 46 times since 1871) |
| 48)Fort Myers,Florida | every 3.09 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & remains in same position.Leads the 3.09 group with 15 hurricanes.Even though ranked much lower than Spring Hill,Ft Myers has the highest number hurricane hits on the Fla west coast.(affected 45 times since 1871) |
| 49)Naples,Florida | every 3.09 years | Had a quiet 2009 season & remains in same position with one less direct hurricane hit than Ft Myers.(affected 45 times since 1871) |
| 50)Port Charlotte,Florida | every 3.09 years | Had a quiet 2009 season but stays in the top 50.(affected 45 times since 1871) |
Example #1 cayman islands affected (within 60m) 64 times
since 1871 or 139 years divided by 64 times = 2.17 years. These city rankings are based on the Hurricanecity list of cities located HEREYour coastal city may not be ranked because it is not in the database but just figure in between the nearest cities to you.
