Use the above pulldown menu to find hurricanes by name.

This Gulf Coast Hurricane track map shows major hurricane storms that have hit the western and central Gulf Coast of the United
States.
Gulf Coast Hurricanes. Find the tracks of the Gulf Coast's most powerful hurricanes including - Hurricane Camille,
Katrina, Frederic, Isidore, Hurricane Carla, Hurricane Flossy, Hurricane Ethel, Hurricane Eloise, Hurricane Elena, Hurricane Audrey,
Hurricane Carla, Hurricane Beulah , Hurricane Celia, Hurricane Allen , Hurricane Alicia , and Hurricane Gilbert.
Hurricane map shows major historic storm tracks along the Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi coasts of the
most powerful hurricanes that caused major loss of life, storm surge, property damage and insurance claims.
The map only shows the storm tracks that are category three and above to keep the map readable.
Green = Category three strength
Orange = Category four strength
Red = Category five strength


Calculating Hurricane strength -
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This is used to give an estimate
of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining
factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf and the shape of the
coastline, in the landfall region. Note that all winds are using the U.S. 1-minute average.


Tropical Storm
Winds 39-73 mph


Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 mph (64-82 knots or 119-153 km/hr). Storm surge generally 4-5 ft above normal. No real storm damage to building
structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also,
some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage. Hurricane Lili of 2002 made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a Category One
hurricane. Hurricane Gaston of 2004 was a Category One hurricane that made landfall along the central South Carolina coast.


Category Two Hurricane:
Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 knots or 154-177 km/hr). Storm surge generally 6-8 feet above normal. Some roofing material, door, and
window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile
homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of the hurricane
center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings. Hurricane Frances of 2004 made landfall over the southern end of
Hutchinson Island, Florida as a Category Two hurricane. Hurricane Isabel of 2003 made landfall near Drum Inlet on the Outer
Banks of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane.


Category Three Hurricane:
Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 knots or 178-209 km/hr). Storm surge generally 9-12 ft above normal. Some structural damage to small
residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtain-wall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown
off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut
by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Storm surge flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures
with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 ft above mean sea level may
be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be
required. Hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan of 2004 were Category Three hurricanes when they made landfall in Florida and in Alabama,
respectively.


Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtain-wall
failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete
destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours
before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major flood damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10
ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane
Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis
of 2005 struck the island of Cuba as a Category Four hurricane.


Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure
on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away.
All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-
lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower
floors of all structures located less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of
residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required. Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes
have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille (1969), and
Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys with a minimum pressure of 892 mb--the
lowest pressure ever observed in the United States. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast causing a 25-foot storm
surge, which inundated Pass Christian. Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 storm over the Gulf of Mexico, was still responsible for at least 81 billion
dollars of property damage and insurance claims when it struck the U.S. Gulf Coast as a category 3. It is by far the costliest
hurricane to ever strike the United States. In addition, Hurricane Wilma of 2005 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity
and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record with a minimum pressure of 882 mb.

Map Source: ESRI, NOAA