1/5
Branches and debris covered the beach in Majahual in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico on August 8, 2017. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Garcia
2/5
Rain and wind pound boats dragged out of the Gulf onto dry land to protect them, after the arrival of Hurricane Franklin in the port city of Veracruz, Mexico, shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. AP/Felix Marquez
3/5
The storm destroyed a Pemex gas station in Villanueva in the Mexican state of Veracruz on August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Henry Romero
4/5
Hurricane Franklin toppled trees in Veracruz on Aug. 10, 2017, a thinly populated part of Mexico's central Gulf coast. AP/Felix Marquez
5/5
Tree branches are seen along a road after the passing of Hurricane Franklin, in Nautla, Veracruz state, Mexico on August 10, 2017. REUTERS/Henry Romero
1/13
A fishing boat is left partial submerged after Hurricane Harvey swept through the area, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Corpus Christi, Texas. AP/Eric Gay
2/13
Jennifer Bryant looks over the debris from her family business destroyed by Hurricane Harvey Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Katy, Texas. AP/David J. Phillip
3/13
Boats were pushed ashore by Hurricane Harvey in Port Lavaca, Texas on August 27, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking
4/13
An abandoned vehicle sits in flood waters on the I-10 highway in Houston, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. AP Photo/LM Otero
5/13
Interstate 45 in Houston on August 28, 2017 after Hurricane Harvey flooded the city. REUTERS/Richard Carson
6/13
Professional and volunteer rescuers traveled the Houston area in boats, plucking desperate residents out of floodwaters and off of roofs on August, 29, 2017. AP/David J. Phillip
7/13
The flooding engulfed downed wires and caused fires in some buildings. This burned home in Spring, Texas, was surrounded by water on August 29, 2017. AP/David J. Phillip
8/13
Water transformed streets and parking lots. In this shopping center in Humble, Texas, flooding left massive buildings, including a Costco, underwater on August 29, 2017. AP/David J. Phillip
9/13
The storm submerged entire neighborhoods on August 29, 2017, like this area in Humble, Texas, next to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. AP/David J. Phillip
10/13
Some homes, like this one in Houston, were covered up to their roofs on Aug. 29, 2017. AP/David J. Phillip
11/13
Spring, Texas, north of downtown Houston, also faced severe flooding on August 29, 2017. AP/David J. Phillip
12/13
Flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey surround a power sub-station in Iowa, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, on August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
13/13
A truck passes through the flooded Parish Barn Road in Iowa, La., Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
1/13
Irma engulfed Barbuda on September 6, and "totally demolished" the island, damaging upward of 90% of structures. AP/Anika E. Kentish
2/13
The French government reported that the French side of St. Martin sustained more than $1.4 billion in damage. AP/Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry
3/13
The British Virgin Islands were also hit hard, like St. Barts, shown here. The AP said the storm turned their "wild isolation" into "cutoff, chaotic nightmares." MOD via AP
4/13
This felled tree in a condo community in Kissimmee narrowly missed hitting a home on September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Gregg Newton
5/13
Hurricane Irma slammed into the resort island of St. Martin, leaving destruction on September 6, 2017. AP/Jonathan Falwell
6/13
In Daytona Beach, Florida, a man waded into a flooded residential street on September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie
7/13
Cars and boats were also damaged. Jorge Gonzalez, Esteves' neighbor in Naples, walked by his vehicle on Monday after his home was badly battered on September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang
8/13
Irma's roaring winds brought down countless power lines, like the one shown here in front of an oceanfront condo building in Boca Raton, Florida on September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
9/13
The destruction was felt in a handful of cities. In Tampa, a man walked past an uprooted tree along Bayshore Boulevard as threatening clouds continued to loom overhead on September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Adrees Latif
10/13
Cuba evacuated a million people from vulnerable areas, but waves up to 16 feet high flooded the island and killed at least 10 people. AP/Ramon Espinosa
11/13
The storm assaulted this gas station in North Redington Beach, Florida on September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
12/13
Recently planted palm trees were strewn across a road in Miami Beach on September 10, 2017. AP/Wilfredo Lee
13/13
Sand from Fort Lauderdale Beach swept onto the nearby boulevard on September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
1/5
Waves break over the sea wall ahead of Hurricane Katia in Veracruz, Mexico on September 7, 2017. The storm surge reached 5 to 8 feet above normal levels. REUTERS/Victor Yanez
2/5
The rains started in Tecolutla, Veracruz state, Mexico on Sept. 8, 2017 before Hurricane Katia arrived as a Category 2 storm. AP/Eduardo Verdugo
3/5
People cover the windows of their property ahead of Hurricane Katia, in Vega de Alatorre, Mexico on September 8, 2017. REUTERS/Oscar Martinez
4/5
A man works on his home damaged by Hurricane Katia in Tecolutla, Veracruz on Sept. 9, 2017. AP/Eduardo Verdugo
5/5
People look at an uprooted tree in in Tecolutla, Veracruz state, Mexico after Hurricane Katia whipped through with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph on Sept. 9, 2017. AP/Eduardo Verdugo
1/2
Linda DiGuiseppe, of Wall, N.J., uses a smartphone to photograph swells caused by Hurricane Jose, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, in Belmar, N.J. Hurricane Jose turned up dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast while it moved north over the Atlantic Ocean. AP/Julio Cortez
2/2
High waves produced by Tropical Storm Jose crash along the shore at Long Island's Smith's Point Beach in Shirley, New York on September 20, 2017. Getty/Andrew Theodorakis
1/18
Damaged homes from Hurricane Maria are shown in this aerial photo over the island of Dominica on September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Nigel R. Browne
2/18
In Guadeloupe, a French territory, maximum sustained wind speeds reached 160 mph on September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
3/18
The island of Dominica was almost completely demolished on September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Nigel R. Browne
4/18
Forecasters estimated the Leeward Islands, including Guadeloupe (shown here on September 19, 2017), would see 10 to 15 inches of rain, with isolated totals of up to 20 inches. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
5/18
Streets flood as Hurricane Maria approaches the coast of Bavaro, Dominican Republic on September 20, 2017. AP/Tatiana Fernandez
6/18
Damage in the Miramar neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017.
7/18
This gas station in Humacao, Puerto Rico was flooded and destroyed on September 20, 2017. AP/Carlos Giusti
8/18
Much of Puerto Rico saw feet of rain, like this gas station in Humacao on September 20, 2017. Some of the rain gauges lost transmission in the conditions. AP/Carlos Giusti
9/18
A man runs on the street next to debris and damaged cars in Guayama on September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
10/18
Damaged homes in the La Perla neighborhood the day after Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 21, 2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Getty/Alex Wroblewski
11/18
People walk among debris on the seashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas
12/13
A child fills a plate with water aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas
13/18
Felled trees covered the roads in the Miramar neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 21, 2017. Getty/Alex Wroblewski
14/18
Many roofs were ripped off homes, businesses, and other buildings in Guayama, Puerto Rico on September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
15/18
The storm's winds knocked down power lines, causing outages for 100% of Puerto Rico on September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
16/18
At the height of the storm, Hurricane Maria engulfed the entire island of Puerto Rico, which is 3,515 square miles, including Old San Juan, seen here on September 21, 2017. AP/Jason Heskew
17/18
Rescue workers, like these ones in Miramar, Puerto Rico, spent September 21, 2017 navigating floodwaters and debris to find survivors and bring them to safety. Getty/Alex Wroblewski
18/18
Maria damaged a supermarket in Guayama, Puerto Rico on September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Hurricane Franklin, Aug 7–10
The first hurricane of the Atlantic season, Franklin made landfall as a Category 1 storm on August 10 in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
Its 85-mph maximum sustained winds quickly dissipated over the mountainous, sparsely populated region. Rainfall totals reached 8 to 11 inches, and the storm surge crested 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast.
The overall damage wasn’t too bad, though power went out in some places and winds knocked some trees over.
Hurricane Harvey, Aug 19–31
Hurricane Harvey’s widespread devastation came primarily from its torrential rains. The Category 4 storm made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas on August 25, lashing the coast with 130-mph maximum winds.
The storm then lost intensity and crawled across the state for three days before going back into the Gulf of Mexico, sucking up more moisture, and making a second landfall as a tropical storm near the Louisiana border. Harvey dumped over 4 feet of rain on Houston and the surrounding areas, making the storm the worst rainfall disaster in US history.
At least 82 people died, most of them trying to escape floodwaters. Experts estimate the storm could cost around $100 billion.
Hurricane Irma, Aug 31–Sept. 11
Hurricane Irma is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history. At its strongest, the storm's wind speeds hovered around 185 mph, with gusts of more than 215 mph. The Category 5 storm started battering the southern and western Caribbean islands on September 6, before crossing Cuba and the Bahamas. It made landfall in Florida on September 10 as a Category 4.
The storm demolished most buildings on Barbuda and St. Martin, cut off communications on many islands, and left millions without power throughout the Caribbean, Florida, and Georgia. At least 61 people died — 38 in the Caribbean and 23 in the US. Irma caused billions of dollars of damage in the Caribbean, and could cost the US $50 billion.
Hurricane Katia, Sept 6–9
Hurricane Katia was a short-lived storm that made landfall in the middle of Mexico’s Gulf Coast on September 8 as a Category 1 storm.
Katia died down to a tropical depression the next day as it interacted with Mexico’s mountainous terrain.
The storm brought heavy rains, dumping 10 to 15 inches on northern Veracruz, eastern Hidalgo, and Puebla. Two people were killed in a mudslide.
Hurricane Jose, Sept 6–ongoing
Hurricane Jose — a Category 4 storm at its strongest — first appeared to be following in Hurricane Irma’s wake.
But it turned north and headed up the US East Coast, bringing heavy rain, dangerous surf, and tropical storm-force winds from Georgia to New England.
Jose came close to the Leeward Islands on September 9 and got near Massachusetts on September 20, but never made landfall — a welcome relief in an unusually busy hurricane season.
Hurricane Maria, Sept 17–ongoing
Hurricane Maria devastated many of the same islands that Irma had hit just a couple weeks prior.
Maria passed over Dominica on September 18 — the island’s first Category 5 storm — then engulfed Puerto Rico on September 20 as a Category 4 with 155-mph winds.
In the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic, Maria knocked out power, tore roofs off buildings, flooded streets, caused mudslides, and prompted thousands to flee their homes and seek shelter. Maria had killed at least 25 people by September 22, and the death toll is expected to rise. The islands face months, if not years, of recovery from the combined effects of this season’s hurricanes.
Katia
Franklin
Harvey
Irma
Jose
Maria
The most destructive storms of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season