Gallery: 160 Years of Hurricanes in One Incredible Infographic
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These traces show the path of the lowest-grade hurricanes, which are also the most common, between 1851 and 2014. Category 1 hurricanes have a wind speed of 64 to 82 knots.
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Category 2 hurricanes, with a wind speed between 83 and 95 knots, appear in blue.
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A hurricane isn't considered "bad" until it hits Category 3, with a wind speed between 96 and 112 knots.
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Category 4 hurricanes rarely make it all the way up the eastern seaboard, with wind speeds between 113 and 136 knots.
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With wind speeds in excess of 137 knots, Category 5 hurricanes are by far the rarest. (Keep in mind that these traces account for all hurricanes between 1851 and 2014 that fell into the category.)
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Looking at all the hurricanes together over time, you can see how the more intense storms tend to congregate in the Gulf of Mexico, rarely reaching their tentacles up the east coast.
