Latest Hurricane News

Which Countries Get Hit The Most By Tropical Cyclones?

At a Glance

Asian countries get hit more often than countries on other continents.
Five Asian countries made the top 10 of this list.
The Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean hosts three countries that get hit often, including some of the most intense cyclones on Earth.

These 10 countries have been hit the most by tropical cyclones worldwide since the beginning of the modern global satellite surveillance in 1970.

This list compiled by NOAA's Hurricane Research Division includes tropical depressions, tropical storms and all global naming variants of hurricanes including typhoons and cyclones.

10.) Cuba

Hurricane season: June 1 - November 30, with most storms forming in September and October

Strongest hurricane: The 1924 Cuba Hurricane brought sustained winds of 165 mph to extreme west Cuba. Tobacco crops and fishing vessels were severely damaged, and 90 people lost their lives.

Most recent hurricane: Hurricane Sandy brought winds of 115 mph to eastern Cuba in 2012.

Cuba has recorded 79 hurricane landfalls since records began, and 15 hurricanes have made landfall since 1970.

Most recent hurricane landfalls for Cuba

9.) Madagascar

Cyclone season: November 15 - April 30, with peak activity in February

Strongest cyclone: Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Gafilo made landfall on Madagascar in 2004 with sustained winds of 155 mph. Gafilo caused 237 deaths and $250 million in Madagascar.

Most recent cyclone: Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Hellen in 2014 was a formidable cyclone in the Mozambique Channel, but greatly weakened as it approached land. Damage was less than expected.

8.) Vietnam

Typhoon season: Year Round

Strongest typhoon: Numerous typhoons have made landfall with winds of 115 mph including Lola in 1993, Zack in 1995, Agnes in 1984 and others.

Most recent typhoon: Typhoon Kalmaegi brought typhoon-force winds to the Philippines and China before making final landfall in northern Vietnam as a typhoon in 2014.

Typhoon Kalmaegi over southern China before landfall in Vietnam
(MODIS/NASA)

7.) Taiwan

Typhoon season: Year Round

Strongest typhoon: Super Typhoon Joan in 1959 hit Taiwan with 185 mph sustained winds, and caused 11 deaths and $3 million in crop damage in Taiwan alone. Joan went on to make final landfall in China.

Most recent typhoon: Typhoon Dujuan made landfall in eastern Taiwan with winds of 115 mph in 2015.

(MORE: Hurricane Central)

6.) Australia

Cyclone season: November to April

Strongest cyclone: Severe Tropical Cyclone Monica (2006) paralleled the coast of the Northern Territory and made landfall near Maningrida with winds of 180 mph. Several thousand square miles of forest was wiped out, but no injuries were reported.

Most recent cyclone: Tropical Cyclone Stan in 2016 had winds of 80 mph just before landfall.

At 01:10 UTC on August 25 NASA's Aqua satellite saw Hurricane Loke in the Central Pacific.
(NASA)

5.) United States (including Hawaii)

Hurricane Season: June 1 - November 30

Strongest Hurricane: The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane remains the strongest and most intense hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. Sustained winds were calculated to be about 185 mph at landfall in the Florida Keys and the western Florida Everglades.

Most recent hurricane: Hurricane Arthur in 2014 struck eastern North Carolina. Hurricane Loke passed through an unpopulated area of extreme western Hawaii in 2015.

There have been 63 hurricane landfalls in the U.S. since 1970. This number includes some storms that became extratropical before landfall but brought hurricane force winds to the coast.

4.) Mexico

Hurricane Season: May 15 - November (East Pacific) or June 1 - November 30 (Atlantic/Caribbean)

Strongest Hurricane: Hurricanes Dean (2007), Anita (1977), and Janet (1955) all had landfall sustained wind speeds of 175 mph, which are the strongest from the Atlantic side of Mexico.

Most recent hurricane: Patricia made landfall in 2015 as the strongest hurricane landfall from Pacific side with 150 mph winds

Strongest hurricanes to hit Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S.

3.) Japan

Typhoon season: Year Round

Strongest typhoon: Typhoon Vera (1959) made landfall in southern Japan with winds of 160 mph.

Most recent typhoon: Typhoon Goni made landfall in southern Japan in August of 2015.

Selected strongest typhoons that have made landfall in Vietnam, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Japan. Some countries have numerous typhoons that made landfall at similar strong intensity.

2.) Philippines

Typhoon season: Year Round, peaking in May to November

Strongest typhoon: Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) ripped the central Philippines apart in 2013 with winds of 195 mph at landfall.

Most recent typhoon: Typhoon Melor (Nona) made numerous landfalls in the central Philippines in 2015, at times with winds up to 145 mph.

1.) China

Typhoon season: Year Round

Strongest typhoon: Typhoon Rammasun made landfall in southern China with winds of 155-160 mph in 2014. Cora in 1966 may have had similar strength

Most recent typhoon: Typhoon Mujigae made landfall in southern China with winds of 130 mph in 2015.

There have been at least 127 typhoons that have made landfall in China since 1970.

Typhoon Mujigae approaching China
(NASA)

Notes:

For this list, sustained winds were converted to one-minute sustained winds. Winds come from a variety of sources including reconnaissance, satellite estimates, and ground observations, and some sources are more reliable and accurate than others.

Various center's tropical cyclone reports and best track data were interrogated.

A "hit" is defined as a cyclone's center crossing the coastline and is interchangeable with landfall.