What's the difference between the right and left sides of a hurricane?

Agency: DVEM/Maine Emergency Management

The strongest winds in a hurricane usually occur on the right side of the track. If a hurricane makes landfall on the northern New England coast, the strongest winds will be to the east of the center of the storm.

In contrast, most of the rain falls on the left side of the storm track. Hurricane Gloria, which made landfall over Long Island and Southern Connecticut, and traveled west of Portland, produced wind gusts of 70 mph in Portland, but produced only .41 inches of rainfall in the City.