Final answer:
A hurricane's lower atmospheric pressure could make it theoretically harder to breathe by reducing oxygen concentration, but the human body can adapt to small pressure changes. Other hurricane conditions may affect breathing more than the pressure change itself.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a hurricane develops, atmospheric pressure decreases from its normal level. During such conditions, it could theoretically become harder to breathe because the reduction in atmospheric pressure leads to lower air density and, consequently, a lower oxygen concentration. This affects how much oxygen is available for your body with each breath you take.
However, the human body is quite adaptable and can manage small changes in atmospheric pressure to some extent. The pressure changes involved in the breathing process are relatively small, normally just 1 or 2 torr. Without considering other storm conditions, the minor decrease in atmospheric pressure during a hurricane is not likely to significantly impair breathing for a healthy individual.
Moreover, we must consider that during a hurricane, other factors could impact breathing, such as high winds and heavy rainfall leading to poor air quality and potential debris which could make breathing seem more strenuous independently of the pressure decrease.