Hurricanes can travel inland as well, causing torrential rains that cause rivers to overflow their banks and mudslides. The hurricane also generates a large storm surge that can cause significant damage to coastal areas.

The east side of a hurricane is worse because it has the strongest winds, according to NOAA.

When a hurricane is moving, its winds circulate counterclockwise around its center. This makes the wind speed on the right side of the hurricane (the strongest) higher than the wind speed on the left side of the hurricane, due to steering currents in the ocean that reduce the hurricane's forward velocity.

In addition, this part of the hurricane has the most moisture, leading to the heaviest rainfall rates and the most wind shear which makes tornadoes more likely.

The east side of a tropical depression, on the other hand, has the lowest pressure and the quickest winds, which leads to less wind shear. The combination of these factors means a tropical depression is much more likely to become a hurricane.

How a hurricane forms is complex, but it’s important to understand why it forms in the first place.

A hurricane forms when low pressure systems suck up water from the ocean. These waters, which are generally warm, produce a massive storm that can last for days or even weeks.

As the hurricane approaches land, it churns the ocean with its strong winds and stirs up deep warm water to fuel the storm. These deep water currents can cause a sudden spike in intensity that’s hard to predict, so scientists have to be extra careful when trying to determine hurricane strength.