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Oil Spill Information

Hurricanes spin counter-clockwise, which means that a hurricane passing to the west of the oil slick could drive oil to the coast, but that a hurricane passing to the east of the slick could drive the oil away from the coast. However, the details of the evolution of the storm, the track, the wind speed, the size, the forward motion and the intensity are all unknowns and vary by storm, so this could differ by storm.

For more information about how a hurricane may affect the Gulf oil spill, read the NOAA's statement, Hurricanes And The Oil Spill. The article is a PDF and will open in a new window.