Hurricanes are costly natural disasters causing damage in the United States of US $ 4.9 billion per year between 1950 and 1999. We show that seasonal US landfalling hurricane wind energy 1950-2002 is predictable from the 1 August start of the main Atlantic hurricane season with significant (p < 0.01) and useful skill. Predictability is linked to two large-scale patterns of lower tropospheric wind variability which act to ‘steer’ hurricanes thereby favouring or hindering US landfall. Hindcasts from this model are linked significantly (p = 0.01) to US hurricane economic and insured losses 1950-1999 and offer socio-economic benefit.