Climate Change Intensifies Hurricanes in These Regions

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The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has been one of the most severe in recent history. Hurricane Helene mowed a path from the Florida Panhandle to western North Carolina, bringing torrential rains and storm burst winds to an area unfamiliar with and unprepared for a serious storm. Just 13 days later, Hurricane Milton made landfall in the eastern Gulf, undoing cleanup efforts from the prior storm and wreaking new, historic destruction throughout central Florida.

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The quick succession of intense storms warrants questions about global warming and the changing landscape of extreme weather. While there is little data to support that storms are increasing in frequency, there is scientific consensus that more storms are undergoing the kind of rapid intensification that resulted in back-to-back Category 3+ hurricanes. A look at historical storm tracks and wind speed measures reveals where in the United States hurricanes have become more severe in the last 180 years.

To determine the places where hurricanes are getting worse, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed data on historical hurricane tracks from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Cities, towns, and Census-designated places were ranked based on the average tricennial change in the average maximum sustained wind speed of tropical cyclones and hurricanes within their boundaries from 1842 to 2022. Triennial changes were calculated across six thirty-year periods: 1842-1872, 1872-1902, 1902-1932, 1932-1962, 1962-1992, and 1992-2022. Hurricane tracks were buffered by 50 miles and overlapped with spatial boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only cities with at least 100,000 residents were considered.

25. Wilmington, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +4.8%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 151 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 78.5 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

24. Raleigh, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +4.9%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 91 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 53.2 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

23. Cary, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.3%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 76 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 53.4 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

22. Greensboro, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.5%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 40 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 54.4 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Fran 1996 (59.8 mph sustained wind speed)

21. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.6%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 127 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 90.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph sustained wind speed)

20. Rocky Mount, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.7%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 93 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 54.5 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

19. Gastonia, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.7%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 38 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 51.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hugo 1989 (97.8 mph sustained wind speed)

18. Chapel Hill, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.8%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 51 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 55.2 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

17. Burlington, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.9%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 34 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 58.5 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Fran 1996 (74.8 mph sustained wind speed)

16. Apex, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +5.9%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 71 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 53.9 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

15. Lauderhill, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +6.1%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 128 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 94.2 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph sustained wind speed)

14. Beaumont, TX

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +6.1%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 129 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 70.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph sustained wind speed)

13. Fayetteville, NC

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +6.5%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 112 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 59.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Hazel 1954 (132.3 mph sustained wind speed)

12. Edinburg, TX

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +6.5%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 64 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 75.3 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1933 (126.6 mph sustained wind speed)

11. Troy, NY

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +6.9%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 19 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 59.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1938 (115.1 mph sustained wind speed)

10. Port Arthur, TX

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +7.1%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 122 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 75.0 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph sustained wind speed)

9. McAllen, TX

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +7.3%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 57 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 73.6 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1933 (126.6 mph sustained wind speed)

8. Mission, TX

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +7.7%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 38 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 69.4 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Allen 1980 (115.1 mph sustained wind speed)

7. Bonita Springs, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +8.1%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 169 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 80.6 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (174.9 mph sustained wind speed)

6. Cape Coral, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +8.4%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 144 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 81.8 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (166.9 mph sustained wind speed)

5. Kenner, LA

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +8.6%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 116 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 70.9 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Hurricane Ida 2021 (143.8 mph sustained wind speed)

4. Lehigh Acres, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +10.3%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 175 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 81.5 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (166.9 mph sustained wind speed)

3. Fort Myers, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +11.5%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 150 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 84.3 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (166.9 mph sustained wind speed)

2. North Port, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +14.9%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 133 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 78.0 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (157.7 mph sustained wind speed)

1. Port Charlotte, FL

Avg. tricennial change in storm wind speed, 1842 to 2022: +17.0%
No. events with 39+ mph wind speed, 1842 to 2022: 122 storms
Avg. storm event wind speed, 1992 to 2022: 82.7 mph
Strongest recorded storm: Unnamed Hurricane 1935 (157.7 mph sustained wind speed)