Hurricanes are giant tropical storms with wind speeds over 74 miles per hour that form over warm ocean waters. They can unleash heavy rain and cause storm surges and flooding when making landfall. Hurricanes are classified into 5 categories based on their wind speeds and potential for damage, with category 5 storms having the strongest winds over 155 miles per hour. The Atlantic hurricane season peaks from August to October, bringing an average of 5-6 hurricanes each year.