Continental United States direct Atlantic tropical cyclone fatalities: 1963–2024

This study presents a new, publicly available dataset of direct fatalities caused by Atlantic tropical cyclones in the continental United States from 1963 to 2024. It analyzes long-term patterns in mortality, identifying the main causes of death, the most dangerous storms, and how factors such as storm intensity and seasonal activity influence fatality trends. 

The findings demonstrate that most deaths are caused by water-related hazards, especially freshwater flooding (36%) and storm surge (33%), with freshwater flooding occurring more frequently across storms. Overall, about 80% of fatalities are linked to water hazards, and while more active cyclone seasons tend to produce higher fatalities, outcomes depend heavily on factors like exposure, preparedness, and storm characteristics. Importantly, fatalities have not significantly decreased over time, and inland flooding is emerging as a major and often underestimated risk.