how long does a hurricane last

Hurricanes can last from a few days to several weeks, depending on how long they remain over favorable conditions like warm ocean waters and low shear, and whether they persist in a single area or traverse large distances. The overall life cycle includes tropical disturbances, tropical depressions, tropical storms, and finally the hurricane phase, with durations for each stage ranging from hours to a couple of weeks. In practice, most storms that reach hurricane strength typically endure on the order of 3–7 days as hurricanes, though the entire system from formation to dissipation over open water can stretch longer, sometimes weeks. For example, storms that stall over warm waters can persist longer, while fast-moving systems may pass quickly and have shorter durations as hurricanes. Keep in mind that weather forecasts focus on the expected path and potential impacts over the next 2–7 days, while the storm’s actual total lifetime can extend beyond that window depending on environmental conditions. If you’d like, I can pull in the latest official guidance from meteorological sources for a specific hurricane you have in mind.