Fortunately, a hurricane does not last long, about 20 to 30 minutes on the average. Usually it destroys an area about 16 miles long and the great damage that it does in one place lasts only about 30 seconds. Hurricanes normally occur on hot, humid days but not necessarily in the summer. More than 200 hurricanes strike in the United States every year. It is not possible to predict when a hurricane will strike although the U.S. Weather Bureau gives storm warnings when conditions are right to cause a hurricane. The safest place to be if a hurricane seems likely is in some underground area such as a cellar or a basement.