A tropical storm officially becomes a hurricane when winds get above 74 miles an hour. A hurricane can appear anywhere along the eastern seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane winds are just one danger. The storms can cause devastating flooding and surges of seawater that destroy everything in their path.

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 claimed over 1,500 lives in Mississippi and Louisiana. Services weren't restored in many areas for weeks, and in some ways, New Orleans hasn't yet recovered.

Save