What Countries Are Affected by Hurricanes?
Countries all over the world are affected by hurricanes and cyclones, but those most affected include China, The Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Madagascar and Cuba. Hurricanes occur most often near shores and coastlines, especially where there is a lot of warm tropical water. However, strong hurricanes have the ability to affect communities far inland.
Hurricanes occur in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans when tropical thunderstorms or rough water forms an area of low pressure around which moisture-filled air begins to rotate. The Pacific Ocean, particularly the western Pacific, sees the greatest number of hurricanes each year. The Philippines, in the western Pacific Ocean, can get hit with 20 or more tropical storms during hurricane season. Hurricanes in the south Atlantic Ocean are rare, but possible. The only recorded hurricane in the south Atlantic was Hurricane Catarina in 2004.
Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30 with peaks in August and September. The western Pacific hurricane season runs from July 1 to Nov. 30, also with peaks in August and September. The eastern Pacific storm season lasts from May 15 to Nov. 30 while the south Pacific storm season is from Oct. 15 to May 15. The Indian Ocean’s hurricane season lasts the longest from April 1 to Dec. 31, according to Accuweather.
These powerful tropical storms are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic, typhoons in the Pacific and cyclones in the Indian Ocean. Rough weather over tropical waters is classified as a tropical storm when winds reach 39 miles per hour. When a tropical storm has winds that are consistently over 74 miles per hour, it is classified as a hurricane, typhoon, or cyclone.
