Hurricane Season Begins June 1

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2010 - The north Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. The U.S. Census Bureau produces timely local data that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness and recovery efforts. This edition of Facts for Features highlights the number of people living in areas that could be most affected by these dramatic acts of nature.

In the Hurricane's Path

36.2 million

Estimated July 1, 2009, population most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes: the coastal portion of states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. Approximately 12 percent of the nation's population lived in these areas.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html>

14.0 million

1960 coastal population of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas. Eight percent of the nation's population lived in these areas at that time.
Source: 1960 Decennial Census <http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/>

158%

Percentage growth of the coastal population of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas between 1960 and 2009.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html> and 1960 Decennial Census <http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/>

6

Number of the 50 most populous metro areas in 2009 that were within Atlantic or Gulf coastal areas from North Carolina to Texas. These areas are Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, Texas (sixth); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, Fla. (seventh), Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. (19th), Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla. (27th), Jacksonville, Fla. (40th) and New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La. (46th).
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/CBSA-est2009-annual.html>

179,015

Collective land area in square miles of the coastal areas from North Carolina to Texas.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html>

$301.5 million

Annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers, according to the latest published economic census data.
Source: 2007 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/econ/census07>

Hurricane Impact

Table: Hurricanes strikes 1851-2009 on the mainland U.S. coastline and for individual states by Saffir-Simpson category. Category 3-strength or higher, with sustained winds in excess of 110 miles per hour, is considered major. Updated and modified from Blake et al. (2006). Note: State totals will not equal U.S. totals. Gulf Coast state totals will likely be underrepresented because of lack of coastal population before 1900.
Source: National Hurricane Center <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/Deadliest_Costliest.shtml>

3

The number of hurricanes during the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, two of which were major hurricanes at Category 3-strength or higher. The below-average year has been linked to El Niño, which increases wind shear in the Atlantic Basin, inhibiting tropical storm formation. None of these storms made landfall in the U.S. as hurricanes.
Source: National Hurricane Center <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2009atlan.shtml>

1950

The year the Weather Bureau officially began naming hurricanes.
Source: Atlantic Oceanography and Meteorological Laboratory <http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/J6.html>

Alex

The name of the first Atlantic Basin storm of 2010. Hurricane names rotate in a six-year cycle with the 2010 list being a repeat of the 2004 names. The World Meteorological Organization retired the names of four major hurricanes that made landfall in Florida during 2004: Charley, Francis, Ivan and Jeanne. They have been replaced on the list by Colin, Fiona, Igor and Julia.
Source: National Hurricane Center <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml>

2005

In one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, 28 named storms formed, forcing use of the alternate Greek alphabet scheme for the first time. When the National Hurricane Center's list of 21 approved names runs out for the year, hurricanes are named after Greek letters. Of the 28 named storms in 2005, 15 were hurricanes, with four storms reaching Category 5 status (Emily, Katrina, Rita and Wilma) and three more being considered major. Hurricane Dennis earned distinction as the earliest-forming major hurricane in the Atlantic Basin during a hurricane season in recorded history.
 

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