Ranking of cities and islands affected most by tropical storms and hurricanes

The cities and islands listed below are ranked 1 through 50 with the amount of years between a Storm or Hurricane (inc extratropical) coming within or near the core of that city or island. This ranking method is based on tracking charts dating back to 1871 from every Hurricane Season in the atlantic basin. Wind radii prior to 1990 are based on climatology rather than observed values but on certain storms research has allowed for more accurate wind fields. Keep in mind when viewing this list that Florida and the Western Caribbean get the most action due to vulnerability of all 6 months of Hurricane Season. The Mid Atlantic coast gets many brushes and recurvatures as well as back door extratropical storms. The east Caribbean only has August, September and October as main threats, also note the closeness of locations in Southern locations vrs North. Often times tropical systems expand further North so we have less locations for Northern areas in the database . This list is updated at the end of each Hurricane Season and 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 153 cities & islands throughout the coastal United States, Mexico and all Caribbean Islands. The rankings are based on all hurricanes as well as tropical, sub tropical and extratropical systems.

CAUTION!! This ranking system has become very popular with insurance companies, schools and local government offices. The ranking list has shown up on company brochures, text books and government hurricane pamphlets with mistakes. For example, title "Hurricane prone areas Delray Beach, Florida hit by hurricanes every 2.24 years") is not true, this is for both TROPICAL STORMS and hurricanes. We do not want people thinking Delray Beach 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 by contacting 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) Thank you!!!

These cities and islands are affected (within or near core **subjective to wind fields**) the most in the Atlantic Basin SINCE 1871. Example.
1) Cape Hatteras, North Carolina	every 1.36 years	Hit by hurricane Arthur in 2014 and remains in the number 1 position. This area has probably more brushes than any other area in the top 50 with many recurvatures just offshore. There are also numerous back door systems from the Gulf of Mexico that have cut through Hatteras on the way out to sea some as extratropical. (affected a whopping 105 times since 1871)
2) Morehead City, North Carolina	every 1.54 years	Also hit by Hurricane Arthur in 2014 but despite shrinking it's gap remains well behind Cape Hatteras. Located just S.W. of Cape Hatteras affected by many of the same systems. Top of the 1.54 group with 25 hurricane hits but overall 12 less storms than Cape Hatteras. (affected 93 times since 1871)
3) Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas	every 1.63 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains in the #3 position and the most affected island in the Bahamas. Located in the N.W Bahamas the island see's many storms turning N.W and North off the state of Florida. (affected 88 times since 1871)
4) Cayman Islands	every 1.68 years	Had a quiet 2014 hurricane season and remains at the #4 position. This is the most affected area in the Caribbean sea, affected 85 times.
5) Wilmington, North Carolina	every 1.74 years	Was brushed by hurricane Arthur in 2014 and reanalysis (hurdat) added a tropical storm in 1949 so the city moves up one position to #5. Located in the Southeast, North Carolina gets a lot of back door systems and recurvatures just east (affected 82 times).
6) Great Abaco Island, Bahamas	every 1.79 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains in the same position. If this list was for hurricane hits only this island would be #1 with 39 hurricane hits since 1871 (affected 80 times since 1871)
7) Andros Island, Bahamas	every 1.83 years	Had a quiet 2014 hurricane season and remains at the #7 position. Less hurricane hits than Great Abaco being further south and missing many recurving hurricanes with 8 less hurricane hits than Abaco Isl. (affected 78 times since 1871)
8 ) Bermuda	every 1.88 years	Hit by 2 hurricanes in 2014 but remains in the same position due to locations above either moving up or already having a significant greater number of storms. This Island has a lot of brushes mainly to the east but also has 35 hurricane hits. (affected 76 times since 1871)
9) Boca Raton, Florida	every 1.93 years	Had a another quiet season in 2014 but remains tops in Florida. Would be lower ranked if the list was only for hurricanes with 26 hurricane hits.(affected 74 times since 1871)
10) Sable Island, Nova Scotia	every 1.93 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains in same position. Has many extratropical storm hits and is higher ranked than any other northern location. This tiny island gets hit frequently by systems moving out to sea just to the south. (affected 74 times since 1871)
11) Miami, Florida	every 1.99 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains in the same position. Tops of the 1.99 group with 31 hurricane hits. (affected 72 times since 1871)
12) Hollywood, Florida	every 2.01 years	Also had another quiet 2014 hurricane season and added Tropical Storm in (hurdat 2014) but remains in the same position. Top of the 2.01 group with 28 hurricane hits. (affected 71 times)
13) Boynton Beach, Florida	every 2.01 years	Had another quiet 2014 and remains in the same position , 27 hurricane hits. (affected 71 times since 1871)
14) Savannah, Georgia	every 2.01 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in the same position. Hurricanes (18) nine less than Boynton puts this city below despite same number of named storms.This city gets brushed by many systems cutting across from Gulf Of Mexico and recurvatures just off shore. (affected 71 times since 1871)
15) Spring Hill, Florida	every 2.01 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in the same position. This city gets many back door systems from the Atlantic crossing into the Gulf. (affected 71 times since 1871)
16) Tarpon Springs, Florida	every 2.01 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in the same position . Ranked at bottom of the 2.01 group with 12 hurricane hits . Area affected by many storms crossing the state and recurving just East while inland. (affected 71 times since 1871)
17) Isle of Youth, Cuba	every 2.04 years	Had another quiet 2014 season but remains in the same position and tops of the 2.04 group with 27 hurricane hits. This is the most affected city by named storms in Cuba. (affected 70 times since 1871)
18) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	every 2.04 years	Brushed by hurricane Arthur in 2014 and moves up 1 position. As you head North of Georgia the hit rate goes up considerably from systems crossing from Gulf into Atlantic 18 hurricanes. This is the most affected city in South Carolina by named storms. (affected 70 times)
19) Palm Beach,Florida	every 2.07 years	Had another quiet season in 2014 and drops 1 position, 25 hurricane hits tops of the 2.07 group. (affected 69 times)
20) Tampa, Florida	every 2.07 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains at same position.Area affected by many storms crossing the state and recurving just east while inland. 11 Hurricane hits puts Tampa at bottom of the 2.07 group.(affected 69 times since 1871)
21) Eleuthera Island, Bahamas	every 2.10 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains at same position and tops of the 2.10 group with 34 hurricane hits. (affected 68 times since 1871)
22) Bimini,Bahamas	every 2.13 years	Had another quiet 2014 hurricane season and remains in same position ,tops of the 2.13 group with 33 Hurricane hits . (affected 67 times since 1871)
23) Lake Worth, Florida	every 2.13 years	Had another quiet hurricane season in 2014 season and remains in same place,28 hurricane hits. (affected 67 times since 1871)
24) Saint Augustine, Florida	every 2.13 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in same position. Bottom of the 2.13 group with only 11 hurricane hits. (affected 67 times since 1871)
25) Deerfield Beach, Florida	every 2.17 years	Had another quiet 2014 season but remains in same position, 27 hurricane hits top of the 2.17 group. (affected 66 times since 1871)
26) Jupiter, Florida	every 2.17 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in same position, hurricane hits (25) . (affected 66 times since 1871)
27) Turks & Caicos Islands	every 2.17 years	Was affected by Tropical Storm Bertha in 2014 season but remains at same position,7 less hurricane hits (20) than Deerfield Beach puts area at bottom of the 2.17 group. (affected 65 times since 1871)
28) Sarasota, Florida	every 2.20 years	Had another quiet 2014 season but remains in the same position, 15 hurricane hits puts Sarasota at the bottom of the 2.20 group. (affected 65 times since 1871)
29) Cat Island, Bahamas	every 2.23 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but remains at same position and top of the 2.23 group with 29 hurricane hits. (affected 64 times since 1871)
30) Cabo Corrientes, Cuba (west tip)	every 2.23 years	Had another quiet season in 2014 and remains in same position. 26 hurricane hits 3 less than Cat Island puts this area at #30. (affected 64 times since 1871)
31) Fort Lauderdale, Florida	every 2.23 years	Had yet another quiet season in 2014 but due to a addition of a tropical storm from hurdat 1956 this city moves up four positions into the 2.23 group, 25 hurricane hits . (affected 64 times since 1871)
32) Long Island, Bahamas	every 2.23 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position, 25 direct hurricane hits same as Ft Lauderdale,22 Tropical storms same as Ft Lauderdale 3rd tiebreaker is hurricane brushes 14 for Ft Lauderdale so this keeps Long Island Bahamas 1 slot below Ft Lauderdale.(affected 64 times)
33) Grand Isle, Louisiana	every 2.23 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position. The most affected area in Louisiana as it sticks out into the Gulf. Hit by 24 hurricanes keeps this area near the bottom of the 2.23 group. (affected 64 times)
34) Beaufort, South Carolina	every 2.23 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position. Area has had numerous back door extratropical systems from the Gulf and Atlantic. Bottom of the 2.23 group with 18 hurricane hits. (affected 64 times since 1871)
35) Delray Beach, Florida	every 2.27 years	Had another quiet season and drops 1 more position, 28 hurricane hits puts area at top of the 2.27 group. (affected 63 times)
36) Homosassa, Florida	every 2.27 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in the same position,13 hurricane hits towards bottom of 2.27 group. (affected 63 times)
37) New Orleans, Louisiana	every 2.27 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in same position. Nine direct hurricane hits puts this city at the bottom of the 2.27 group (affected 63 times)
38) Pensacola, Florida	every 2.31 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains in same position. 18 hurricane hits puts Pensacola 1st in the 2.31 group. (affected 62 times)
39) Elizabeth City, North Carolina	every 2.31 years	Brushed by Hurricane Arthur in 2014 and a recent hurdat adjustment moves city up a whopping 5 positions. Bottom of the 2.31 group with 12 hurricane hits. Close to the Outer Banks but too far north & misses many systems headed into the Atlantic from the WSW as well as recurvatures just east keeps this area far below nearby Cape Hatteras. (affected 62 times since 1871)
40) Stuart, Florida	every 2.34 years	Had another quiet season and drops 1 position.Top of the 2.34 group with 24 hurricane hits (affected 61 times since 1871.)
41) Georgetown, South Carolina	every 2.34 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position, 15 hurricane hits . (affected 61 times since 1871)
42) Florida City, Florida	every 2.38 years	Had another quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position. Florida City south into the Florida Keys are lower ranked than S.E. Florida cities due to many storms climbing north upon approach to Florida. Tops of the 2.38 group with 27 hurricane hits. (affected 60 times since 1871.)
43) Nassau, Bahamas	every 2.38 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position ,has 25 hurricane hits. Being a very tiny island has the surrounding larger Bahama Islands having more affects and ranked higher. (affected 60 times since 1871)
44) Acklins Island, Bahamas	every 2.38 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops 1 position ,21 hurricane hits. (affected 60 times since 1871)
45) Norfolk,Virginia	every 2.38 years	Despite a quiet 2014 season an addition of Tropical Storm via hurdat adjustment moves Norfolk up 4 positions. Only 11 hurricane hits puts this city near the bottom of the 2.38 group. (affected 60 times since 1871)
46) Sydney, Nova Scotia	every 2.38 years	Had another quiet season in 2014 and drops 1 position. Bottom of the 2.38 group with only 6 hurricane hits since 1871. Many more systems brush or hit Sable Island #10 and then brush Sydney on the way N.E. (affected 60 times)
47) Panama City, Florida	every 2.42 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops one more position. With 17 direct hurricane hits rates area tops in the 2.42 group. (affected 59 times since 1871)
48) Cape Cod,Massachusetts	every 2.42 years	Brushed by Hurricane Arthur in 2014 moves this city up a whopping 5 positions. Middle of the 2.42 group with 16 hurricane hits. Wins tie breaker with Mobile Alabama with 5 more TS hits. (affected 59 times since 1871)
49) Mobile, Alabama	every 2.42 years	Had another quiet season and drops two more positions. 16 Hurricane hits puts area in near the bottom of the 2.42 group. (affected 59 times since 1871)
50) Cape Sable, Nova Scotia	every 2.42 years	Affected by extratropical storm Arthur in 2014 and cracks the top 50. Near the bottom of the 2.42 group with 13 hurricane hits one more than Ormond Beach. (affected 59 times since 1871)
51) Ormond Beach, Florida	every 2.42 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops two positions and out of the top 50. Bottom of the 2.42 group with only 12 hurricane hits Many recurvatures off the coast & brushes from the S.W. (affected 59 times since 1871)
52) San Salvador,Bahamas	every 2.47 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and drops out of the top 50. This island would be ranked much higher if this was for hurricanes only with 29 hurricane hits.(affected 58 times since 1871)
53) Gulf Shores, Alabama	every 2.47 years	Had a quiet 2014 season and remains out of the top 50. 19 hurricanes 2nd in the 2.47 group. (affected 58 times since 1871)
54) Fernandina Beach,Florida	every 2.47 years	Had a quiet 2014 season but in the 2.47 group very near cracking top 50, near the bottom of the 2.47 group with 12 hurricane hits. (affected 58 times since 1871)

Just to let you know the last ranked city #153 is Prinzapolca,Nicaragua (only 8 times or every 17.88 years by a named storm).
To see the rest of the unranked cities click here.


Here is a map from NOAA showing mean occurrence of named storms 1944-1997 showing how accurate these rankings are.
Sources include National Hurricane Center tracking charts and advisory archives.

Questions? Please contact Jim Williams... jim@hurricanecity.com

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