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Previous studies have linked interannual variability of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity in the North Atlantic basin (NA) to Sahelian rainfall, vertical shear of the environmental flow, and relative sea surface temperature (SST). In this study, the contribution of TC track changes to the interannual variations of intense hurricane activity in the North Atlantic basin is evaluated through numerical experiments. It is found that that observed interannual variations of the frequency of intense hurricanes during the period 1958–2017 are dynamically consistent with changes in the large-scale ocean/atmosphere environment.Track changes can account for ～50％ of the interannual variability of intense hurricanes, while no significant difference is found for individual environmental parameters between active and inactive years. The only significant difference between active and inactive years is in the duration of TC intensification in the region east of 60°W. The duration increase is not due to the slow-down of TC translation. In active years, a southeastward shift of the formation location in the region east of 60°W causes TCs to take a westward prevailing track, which allows TCs to have a longer opportunity for intensification. On the other hand, most TCs in inactive years take a recurving track, leading to a shorter duration of intensification. This study suggests that the influence of track changes should be considered to understand the basin-wide intensity changes in the North Atlantic basin on the interannual time scale.