Who’s In the Path of 2010 Hurricane Season?

The North Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. Facts from the U.S. Census Bureau highlight the number of people living in areas that could be most affected by these dramatic acts of nature.

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.

14 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.

158% – Percentage growth of the coastal population of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas between 1960 and 2009.

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).

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.

179,015 – Collective land area in square miles of the coastal areas from North Carolina to Texas.

Number of Hurricanes Making Landfall on U.S. Mainland (1851 – 2009)

Source: National Hurricane Center