A total of 37 tropical cyclones have been estimated to have peaked as Category 5 since records began in 1924. There were 6 hurricanes in the 1930s and 6 since 2006, suggesting that they are not becoming more frequent over time.
The damage a hurricane produces depends on its strength and where it makes landfall. A Cat 5 hurricane that does not hit land does little damage. Hurricane Lorenzo in 2019 did little damage as it stayed out in the Atantic. Esther in 1961 stayed out in the Atlantic and when it finally made landfall in Canada t was only a tripical storm.
There is currently no consensus on how climate change will affect the overall frequency of tropical cyclones. A majority of climate models show a decreased frequency in future projections
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