Hurricanes are one of nature's most powerful entities. Most tropical cyclones are relatively ordinary. But some cause incredible devastation that echoes through generations. I started this several years ago when I was just getting into tracking storms. To me, it's a stark display of the awesome power of tropical cyclones. I think it stands as proof that nature knows no bounds and the only thing we can expect is the unexpected. Included in this list are the terrible, the awesome, and the downright insane. Only Atlantic and Pacific storms are included at this time, although further expansion is being considered.
For a storm to be considered it has to
a) have formed after 1800.
b) be at least two seasons old.
c) have achieved something historically significant, been so destructive as to have left a lasting physical and psychological impact on those affected, or broken a significant record(s).
Storms whose names were retired (those who recieved names) are automatically considered, though not automatically inducted.
Storms that killed over 1,000 people are automatically nominated.
Storms that killed over 2,000 people are automatically inducted.
Storms that caused the equivalent of at least $5 billion in damages are automatically nominated. For storms prior to 2000, values are inflation adjusted to 2004 USD.
Storms that caused the equivalent of at least $10 billion in damage are automatically inducted. For storms prior to 2000, values are inflation adjusted to 2004 USD.
Great American Hurricane, 1821 - The 1821 hurricane caused immense devastation all along the East Coast of the United States, killing 200 people. It sent storm surges as high as 10 feet into the many oceanfront towns of the mid-Atlantic coast. It ranks among the three worst hurricanes to affect the region.
Santa Ana Hurricane, 1825 - In Puerto Rico, as with many lands bordering the Caribbean, hurricanes are deeply rooted in the native culture. Stories of these great storms are passed from generation to generation. Great storms of long ago are often given the names of saints whose feast days occured near the time the storm hit. Only the San Ciriaco storm of 1899 caused greater destruction on the island. It had already laid waste to the island of Guadalupe as a powerful hurricane and left Puerto Rico in ruins, killing 1,300 people.
Great Caribbean Hurricane, 1831 - The Caribbean Hurricane of 1831 was the classic long track Caribbean storm, it's track similar to that of Hurricane Georges in 1998. It was likely a Cape Verde-type hurricane and was a monster Category 4 hurricane by the time it slammed into Barbados. The capital of Bridgetown was flattened by a 17-foot storm surge. 1,500 people were killed on Barbados alone. It then raked through the Greater Antilles as a major hurricane, causing devastating mudslides in Haiti and Cuba. Next, it hit southeastern Louisiana as a Category 3 storm, causing heavy damage and flooding parts of New Orleans with a 7-10 foot storm surge. In all, the storm killed at least 2,500 people and left cataclysmic destruction in its wake.
Great Havana Hurricane, 1846 - This was probably the most intense Atlantic storm until the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, a period of nearly 90 years. It raged up from the Caribbean and ravaged Cuba and Florida. Cuba's capital city of Havana was reportedly demolished. 30-foot seas wrecked 85 merchant ships. In Key West, nearly every structure saw damage. A 12-foot storm surge left the island awash. 254 people lost their lives. Gale winds and pounding waves reached as far as New England.
Last Island Hurricane, 1856 - Last Island, a tiny barrier island off the coast of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, was a popular resort for many years, similar to likes of Captiva Island today. The more well-to-do of Louisiana society would vacation there in the summer months to get some much-needed R&R. On August 10, 1856, it all disappeared. A monster Category 4 storm comparable in strength to 2004's Hurricane Charley raged over the island for up to 36 hours. The resort was completely destroyed. The entire island disappeared into the Gulf of Mexico for several days. The island's wrecked ferry, the Star, was the only sign an island ever existed there. All that’s left now are slowly disappearing sandbars called the Isles Dernieres. Of the 400 people on the island that day, less than half survived.
San Narcisco Hurricane, 1867 - The third worst hurricane in Puerto Rico's history, the San Narcisco storm struck the island suddenly as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, causing immense destruction and killing 811 people, leaving just as fast as it had come. The storm also did heavy damage to shipping in the Virgin Islands, driving fifty boats ashore and sending many more to the bottom.
Saxby's Gale, 1869 - 1869 saw a revolution in pre-satellite hurricane forecasting. It's famous for the prediction of Royal Navy lieutenant and amateur astronomer Stephen Saxby, who wrote a letter to a London newspaper warning that a major "atmospheric disturbance" would occur in the northeast US on October 5, 1869. It was published on Christmas Day, 1868. Lo and behold, on October 5, 1869, New England was rocked by a major hurricane that caused severe damage and killed over 100 people. Saxby made his prediction based on astronomical patterns he had observed. The storm and the prediction ignited a curiosity among the scientific community to explore ways to predict gales and hurricanes and to try and get a better understanding of what made these storms tick.
Hurricane San Marcos, 1870 - As far as we know, the San Marcos storm essentially came out of nowhere. It formed somewhere just south of Haiti in early October, 1870. It crawled along the southern coast of Cuba until it exploded just south of Havana, it's winds jumping from 80 mph to 115 mph in just 18 hours. It crawled into the Straits of Florida, causing devastating flooding throughout Cuba. Havana got the worst of it. The effects there were catastrophic. At least 2,000 people were killed.
Great Indianola Hurricane, 1875 - In 1875, Indianola, Texas was a booming old west town. It had become a key trade port as it offered quick and easy access to points westward. Just two storms on either end of a decade would take it all away. The first Indianola storm caused incredible destruction along its path. The storm surge completely destroyed the town. Catastrophic flooding killed upwards of 600 people in Cuba and Hispaniola. Another 176 died in Texas. The storm had taken everyone by surprise. Indianola had looked to become a prosperous port city like Galveston and New Orleans. Now it was in ruins. In 130 years' time, the other great port cities of the Gulf of Mexico would be brought to ruin by storms now gracing this list. Indianola, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Biloxi, Pensacola & Mobile, New Orleans. Tampa's the only one left.
1886 Indianola Hurricane - Indianola was hit again just ten years after the first one had killed almost 200 people there. This time, the storm was stronger. 155 mph winds and a 925 mbar pressure made it one of the strongest hurricanes to strike the US in recorded history. Little was left of the still-rebuilding Indianola after the 1886 storm. Fewer people died (46), perhaps because everyone else had either been killed in 1875 or moved out. The town was moved further inland. The ruins of the old town, can still be seen under 15 feet of water in Matagorda Bay. 28 people also died in Cuba.
Straits of Florida Hurricane, 1888 - Cuba has a long and terrible hurricane history. Through hundreds of years of tragedy, Cuba has become one of the most prepared nations in the world for hurricanes. But it endured many a great catastrophe before they got that way. 1888 was just one more. It ranks as the island's fifth worst hurricane, tearing through Havana as a Category 3 hurricane, leaving the capital in shambles. Terrible flooding in the rural countryside swept away lives and livelihoods. At least 600 people died in Cuba, with another 300 dying in similar floods in Mexico.
This is what New York looked like at the time of the 1893 hurricane.
New York Hurricane, 1893 - One of the most feared scenarios for a "perfect storm" is a direct hurricane strike on New York City. Not only is it possible, it has happened. On August 24, 1893, the hurricane passed directly over Manhattan with 85 mph sustained winds. New York was a lowrise commercial port at the time and, with much advanced warning, damage was minimal and no deaths were reported. Even so, this storm is a stark reminder that the nation's largest metropolis may be its most vulnerable.
Sea Islands Hurricane, 1893 - The first of two catastrophic hurricanes to strike the southeastern United States in 1893, this one was the worst in Georgia history. The storm raked the coast as a Category 3 major hurricane, throwing a 16-foot storm surge onto Georgia's barrier islands killing between 1,000 and 2,000 people. Some believe that toll to be much higher. Most of the islands were completely destroyed. It ranks as the fifth deadliest hurricane in the history of the United States.
Chenier Caminada Hurricane, 1893 - A powerful Category 4, the Chenier Caminada storm tore through the Louisiana Delta (which had already been hit by a Category 2 storm earlier in the season) in early October, 1893 with 135 mph sustained winds. Residents there had little warning and few evacuated. The towns of Cheniere Caminada and Grand Isle were leveled by a storm surge as high as 16 feet. 2,000 people died; over 75 percent of the population.
San Ciriaco Hurricane, 1899 - The 1899 storm was the longest-lived tropical cyclone in Atlantic history, lasting from August 3 to September 3 1899 (28 days while tropical). It is also one of the most destructive in Puerto Rico's history. 3,433 people were reported killed by this storm and severe destruction was wrought in Puerto Rico.
Few large cities have seen such complete destruction as Galveston saw in 1900.
Great Galveston Hurricane, 1900 - The Galveston Hurricane was the greatest human disaster in United States history. At the time, Galveston was the largest city in Texas with over 42,000 residents and it was booming. The state had heard this story before. Indianola was competing for prominence with Galveston when it was essentially wiped off the map by two hurricanes. But the citizens of Galveston felt immune to such storms; surely it couldn't happen to them. The Galveston storm was a classic Cape Verde-type hurricane. It meandered through the Greater Antilles as a tropical storm, dumping large amounts of rain, flooding portions of Havana, Cuba. Sometime during the night of September 8, 1900, the storm passed directly over Galveston with 145 mph sustained winds. The city was almost completely destroyed. The scale of the devastation was and still is unlike any America has ever seen. All that was left of one of the biggest commercial ports in southeastern US was mile upon mile of broken timber and the occasional stone shell of a structure still standing. At the height of the storm, the entire island was under as much as 6 feet of water. The next nine months were spent collecting bodies. There rapidly became too many to bury and piles of them, dozens of feet high, were burned. This went on for weeks. The final toll may never be known but is believed to be around 8,000. That's 20% of Galveston's pre-storm population. In one fell swoop, one of the most vibrant ports on the entire Gulf Coast was completely destroyed. Imagine if Katrina had left New Orleans just a pile of rubble...with 8,000 corpses to bury instead of 1,800. That's the kind of impact we're talking about here. A chilling message telegraphed to then-Texas Governor Joseph Sayers and President William McKinley says it all: “I have been deputized by the mayor and Citizen’s Committee of Galveston to inform you that the city of Galveston is in ruins.”
Florida Keys Hurricane, 1906 - This hurricane carved a path of destruction through the West Indies. In Central America its torrential rains caused floods and mudslides that washed away entire villages. The flooding was worse in Cuba. Few buildings were completely destroyed but the flooding killed untold hundreds. In the Florida Keys, where construction on the Overseas Railroad had begun in earnest, hundreds of workers were staying on site in small houseboats while on the job. Most of those houseboats were lost in the storm, drowning 130 workers in all. It would be years before the railroad project regained its footing. The storm later looped back into northern Florida, dropping torrential rains across the central part of the state. The true death toll may never be known but is estimated to be over 300.
March Hurricane, 1908 - The earliest a hurricane has ever formed in the Atlantic Ocean was March 7, 1908 and this one eventually got sustained winds of over 100 mph. This storm holds the record by a large margin. May is the next earliest month an Atlantic hurricane has formed. It had formed in the mid-Atlantic a day earlier and moved southwest, passing through the Leeward Islands in the area of Antigua. Many boats were driven ashore, with some being destroyed or irreparably damaged. Little other damage was reported.
Great Mexican Hurricane, 1909 - Mexico has a long history of devastating hurricanes. In fact, the Maya people who lived in the Yucatan region and Guatemala gave us the term 'hurricane' from their god Huracan. It is one of the few countries in the world that has suffered multiple, highly destructive hurricanes from two different ocean basins. The 1909 hurricane was one of the deadliest (if not the deadliest) and most destructive in their history. It struck the central Yucatan Peninsula as nearly a Category 4, but that wasn't the worst of it. The storm restrengthened in the Gulf of Mexico and struck the Mexican Gulf coast, causing catastrophic flooding and mudslides inland that killed 1,500 people.
Grand Isle Hurricane, 1909 - Another hurricane from the hallows of Louisiana lore, this one roared ashore as a major hurricane at Morgan City, Louisiana, well west of Grand Isle. But this storm brought a 15-foot storm surge right onto the tiny barrier island. Grand Isle was essentially destroyed. 350 people died. It was their worst hurricane since the Chenier Caminada storm 16 years earlier. New Orleans was flooded on the scale of Hurricane Katrina, but with much less development and poverty, the destruction was not as severe. Still, the devastation on the Louisiana Delta was catastrophic.
Galveston was savaged by two destructive hurricanes in just a 15 year period.
1915 Galveston Hurricane - The 1900 storm has become one of the most notorious and legendary storms of all time. Few, however, know that Galveston was hit again just 15 years later. Following a path similar to its more famous counterpart, this storm reached a comparable intensity but was a little weaker at landfall. On August 15, the storm gave a preview of the destruction to come when it sank the steamer Marowjine in the Yucatan Channel, killing all 96 passengers and crew. The Galveston Seawall saved downtown Galveston from the worst of the storm's 16-foot storm surge. The rest of the island as well as Brazoria County, Texas were not so lucky. 111 people died in and around Galveston Island. In all, at least 367 people were killed and $50 million in damage was caused. It remains the worst hurricane to strike the region since the 1900 storm.
New Orleans Hurricane, 1915 - The devestation of New Orleans by a hurricane is nothing new. It's happened at least three times by three different storms that now grace this list. This storm was the first to show just how vulnerable the city really was. Recent research has revealed that this was a powerful hurricane for quite some time and was just starting to wind down when it hit Grand Isle, Louisiana at about the same intensity as Katrina 90 years later. The 13-foot storm surge caused a backwash in Lake Ponchartrain that overloaded the city's drainage canals and caused extensive flooding in New Orleans. Almost the exact same thing had happened in 1909 with the Grand Isle Hurricane but wind damage across southeastern Louisiana was far worse. Hundreds of buildings lost their roofs and scores of homes were destroyed. The hurricane also left 279 people dead.
Atlantic Gulf Hurricane, 1919 - This was a massive storm that took everyone by surprise. After raising hell in Key West, the storm then proceeded to sink ship after ship in the Gulf of Mexico, ultimately sinking ten and killing 500 people. The hurricane maintained winds of 150 mph for nearly two full days in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The storm made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas as a Category 3, throwing a 16-foot storm surge onto the underwarned south Texas coast. Another 286 people died there, bringing the final toll to almost 800. Some believe it was higher than that. This storm had caused the highest death toll at sea since the 1700s (tied with the Nova Scotia Hurricane of 1873).
Destruction at Miami Beach. Florida was never the same after the 1926 storm.
Great Miami Hurricane, 1926 - By far the most destructive hurricane ever to strike Miami, the 1926 storm signaled the end of the Florida land boom and the beginning of a 20-year tropical assault that saw 27 hurricanes make landfall in the state, killing over 3,000 people combined. The 1926 storm struck Coral Gables as a Category 4, inundating the city with a 15-foot storm surge. The trick of the hurricane's eye lured many survivors out of their shelters, thinking it was over. Hundreds were killed when the other side of the storm hit. The massive size of the hurricane was comparable to Hurricane Floyd; even Fort Lauderdale was heavily impacted. The Pensacola area was also heavily damaged. 373 died in all. Miami and the nearby suburbs were essentially destroyed. Few structures escaped damage. The destruction was not as complete as occurred in Galveston in 1900, but 1926 certainly makes Hurricane Andrew look minor. Unlike Andrew, the 1926 hurricane did not dodge the state's most vulnerable playground. Damages came to over $100 million; that's over $2 billion today. Florida's economy would not really recover until the 1970's, thanks to the state’s near constant bombardment by storms following the 1926 disaster.
La Habana Hurricane, 1926 - Similar to the San Marcos hurricane 56 years earlier, the La Habana storm came up from the Caribbean and caused an incredible flooding catastrophe in western Cuba, crossing the island as a Category 3. These floods caused immense devestation and killed 650 people in Cuba alone. The storm brisked the Florida Keys before heading out into the Atlantic and strengthening into a Category 4 hurricane and slamming into Bermuda. It was one the island's worst hits on record. Two British warships were sunk in Hamilton Harbor and 88 sailors lost their lives.
Lake Okeechobee Hurricane, 1928 - The Okeechobee storm was the worst US catastrophe east of the Mississippi River as well as one of the worst ever to strike Puerto Rico. It hit the island as a Category 5. 312 people died in catastrophic floods. Some areas recieved upwards of 30 inches of rain in less than 36 hours. Hurricane-force winds blew for as much as 18 straight hours. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes. Also hit hard in the Caribbean was Guadeloupe, which was almost entirely destroyed with the loss of as many as 1,000 people. None of that compared to the devastation in Florida, which was still reeling from the 1926 storm. It crossed near Stuart as a Category 4. At first, it seemed as though the small storm would cause only localized heavy damage. Then the dike holding back Lake Okeechobee burst, sending a catastrophic flood of water across hundreds of square miles of south Florida, destroying everything in its path. Those who had moved inland to ride out the storm were now trapped with the thousands who lived along the lakeshore. Floodwaters were 20 feet deep in some places and took weeks to recede. The loss of life was staggering. Upwards of 2,500 people died in Florida alone. The huge Herbert Hoover Dike now holds back Okeechobee, to prevent such a disaster from happening again.
Santo Domingo Hurricane, 1930 - Hispaniola has a long history of destructive hurricanes, but this was one of the worst. Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, was half-destroyed by the winds and storm surge. Wind gusts were estimated as high as 180 mph. Hardly any buildings escaped damage. Residents had little warning of the storm, so few evacuated. As many as 8,000 people died in the coastal region. That would make it the fourth deadliest storm in modern times.
National Day Hurricane, 1931 - September 10, 1931 was a holiday in Belize, the people were out celebrating the defeat of the Spanish at the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798, much like the Fourth of July in America. All the storms that season had been benign. All indications were that this one would be no different. But the night before, the storm had begun to rapidly intensify. By the time the storm reached the coast, it was a major hurricane with 125 mph sustained winds. The Belize storm may have even been a Category 4, because according to the Monthly Weather Review report, "[Wind] velocity had crept up...and maintained a velocity of 132 miles an hour from 2:50 to 3 pm." The storm surge wrecked the harbor at Belize City and swept inland, completely destroying several towns inland and along the coast, including Belize City, killing up to 2,500 people.
Great Cuban Hurricane, 1932 - Hurricanes are a fact of life in Cuba, as much as they are on any of the other Caribbean islands. The island has seen some of the worst nature has to offer and has been remarkably resilient. In November, 1932, after most people thought the season was over, the island was struck by the worst natural disaster in its history. The storm was a monster Category 4, with wind speeds exceeding 135 mph. Recent evidence indicates it may have been even stronger than that. It brought a massive 21 foot storm surge that devastated south central Cuba. The town of Santa Cruz del Sur in Camaguey province was all but flattened. Little was left of the town that saw most of its inhabitants die in the storm (2,870 out of around 4,000; or 72%). Another 163 people died elsewhere in Cuba. The storm did the same to the Cayman Islands, which were almost completely destroyed by the same storm surge. 69 people died there. Only the 1930 storm and Hurricane Flora have caused more carnage in the Greater Antilles.
Central America Hurricane, 1934 - Another devastating hurricane from the 1930's, this one was the worst to ever occur prior to August. It only attained winds of 80 mph, but its erratic path over Central America caused devastating floods in Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. As many as 3,000 people died. Honduras got the worst of it. Some towns simply ceased to exist. In Ocotepeque, only the church was left standing. 500 people lost their lives in that village alone. The storm went on to cause moderate damage in Louisiana.
A relief train derailed by the storm surge of the Labor Day Hurricane.
Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 - One of the most legendary storms in Florida history, the Labor Day Hurricane was the strongest hurricane ever to strike the US (in terms of pressure) and the only one to have a pressure below 900 mbar at time of landfall (Gilbert came the closest, with a 900mb pressure at landfall in Mexico). It also ranks as the third strongest Atlantic hurricane (behind Gilbert and Wilma). The storm caused immense destruction in the Florida Keys. The Upper Keys were demolished by the 185 mph winds and 20-foot storm surge. Gusts were estimated at nearly 200 mph. At least 423 people died there. Thanks to the small size of the hurricane, however, damage was limited to the Upper Keys. Florida, in the depths of the Great Depression, would be rebuilding for years.
1935 Caribbean Hurricane - The Labor Day Hurricane got all the headlines and this storm sat as just a little footnote on the pages of history. A little over a month after the Labor Day storm, a Category 1 hurricane went on a murderous dance around the western Caribbean. Heavy rains caused severe flooding in Haiti, Cuba and Central America in which 2,150 people died (1,727 more than the Labor Day Hurricane). And this storm did it with winds no higher than 85 mph.
Great New England Hurricane, 1938 - In the 1920's and 30's, Long Island was the Beverly Hills of the east; a place made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It was a land of wealth and extravagance that was one of the nation's bright spots during the Great Depression. All of that came to an abrupt and catastrophic end on September 21, 1938. The New England Hurricane, once a powerful Category 5, struck central Long Island with 115 mph winds while moving at one of the fastest forward speeds on record for a tropical cyclone. The massive surge of water washed away entire neighborhoods of large, beautiful homes and covered their foundations with sand, as if nothing had ever been there. It remade the entire landscape; erased and created islands and inlets. After just a few short hours, one of the most fabulous corners of the country was almost gone. The destruction was just as bad in Rhode Island.Island Park, Rhode Island after the 1938 storm. The devastation speaks for itself. The storm surge wiped away whole neighborhoods along Narragansett Bay. Connecticut was also heavily damaged. It remains the state's worst disaster. Many coastal towns there lay in ruins. Also, 99 people died in Massachusetts from flooding. In all, 682 people were killed and $306 million in damage was done, that's equal to $4.5 billion in 2007.
Great Atlantic Hurricane, 1944 - The Great Atlantic Hurricane was one of the worst to ever strike the US eastern seaboard, wrecking havoc with shipping (similar to the 1919 storm). It saw one of worst peacetime losses in the US Navy's history. The destroyer USS Warrington (DD-383) was sunk with the loss of 248 crewmen. The minesweeper USS YMS-409 also sank with the loss of all 33 crew. Coast Guard cutters Jackson and Bedloe were both sunk off Cape Hatteras, killing 48 crewmen. The lightship Vineyard Sound was also reported sunk with not one of the 12 crew surviving. The storm ravaged the Outer Banks of North Carolina and brought torrential rains to the northeast. Thanks to timely warnings, the death toll was but 46 on land. In all, this storm killed 387 people and caused $100 million in damage, over $1 billion today.
Pinar del Río Hurricane of 1944 - The last storm of the 1944 season, this hurricane caused catastrophic flooding in western Cuba that killed over 300 people. Havana harbor was completely wrecked with few ships left afloat. In the Cayman Islands, 30 inches of rain fell in just three days, causing severe flooding. They reportedly received 16 inches in a single day. In Florida, the storm surge caused heavy damage along the coast and serious crop damage inland. A boat sank offshore, killing nine people. The Dry Tortugas reported sustained winds of 120 mph for two consecutive hours! The Pinar del Rio Hurricane caused at least $10 million in damage in Florida alone. The damage figures remain unknown for the most affected areas.
Moissant Airport in Louisiana under six feet of water after the 1947 hurricane.
Fort Lauderdale Hurricane, 1947 - The 1947 hurricane was one of the most powerful to ever strike the United States, bringing 155 mph winds to the coast of Florida. It rolled over Abaco Island at Category 5 strength, and its winds only diminished by 5 mph prior to landfall near Pompano Beach. A storm surge as high as 20 feet was reported around Lake Okeechobee, nearly causing a repeat of the 1928 disaster. As it was, the storm caused heavy damage across south Florida. It also unleashed torrential rains, setting some accumulation records that stood for over 50 years. The Gulf Coast, however, saw some of the worst damage. A 15-foot storm surge left parts of New Orleans under 2 feet of water and caused heavy damage on the Mississippi coast, killing 22 people there. In all, the 1947 storm killed 51 people and caused $110 million in damage, equal to $1 billion in 2007.
Hurricane Dog, 1950 - Hurricane Dog was the most powerful hurricane ever to form outside the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico. It was at Category 5 strength for nearly three consecutive days, an Atlantic record. The storm's winds raged at 185 mph, churning up waves as high as 100 feet. It is believed that at peak intensity, Dog's wind gusts approached 200 mph. Fortunately, it was all over water. However, while a strong Category 2, Dog passed through the Leeward Islands, causing heavy damage in an area that had been hit by Hurricane Baker just 10 days before. Gusts as high as 144 mph were measured. As a testament to the size of the hurricane, it passed 200 miles southeast of Cape Cod as a Category 1, but still produced torrential rains and severe flooding in New England. Strong wind gusts knocked out power to 15 Cape Cod towns. The storm killed 12 people in New England, 19 total. We may never know how strong Hurricane Dog really was; no pressure readings exist from the time of peak intensity. However, we do know that no other Atlantic hurricane with 185 mph winds had a pressure higher than 909 mbar (Camille, 1969). All others were below 900 mbar. So the Atlantic's strongest storm may not have been Fred Flintstone's wife, but instead man's best friend.
Hurricane Able, 1951 - Hurricane Able is the only major hurricane ever to form in the offseason. It formed on May 15 performed a cyclonic loop and became a major hurricane on May 21 while only 70 miles east of the Outer Banks. Thanks to the small size of the storm, the only effects were high tides and rough surf. Except for maybe the 1908 storm which reached Category 2 intensity in March, Able's feat is unequaled by any Atlantic storm.
Groundhog Day Storm, 1952 - Yes, I said Groundhog Day. You know, February 2; where the cute little groundhog sticks his head out of the ground and says whether or not spring was approaching. This was the earliest a tropical cyclone has ever formed in the Atlantic by about a month. It formed off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and hit Playa del Carmen, Mexico just as it reached tropical storm intensity. It turned northeastward and hit Florida with 60 mph sustained winds, causing widespread power outages and heavy seas…in February!
Carol rocked New England as a powerful hurriane with sustained winds well over 100 mph and a 15-foot storm surge.
Hurricane Carol, 1954 - Hurricane Carol was a strong hurricane that raked the East Coast of the United States. After producing winds over 100 mph on Cape Hatteras, passing just offshore, the storm blew over Long Island and the New England states with significant force. In Connecticut and Rhode Island, where damage was the heaviest, storm surges as high as 15 feet put many towns underwater, including Providence and New London. In Providence, the water was 12 feet deep in many places. This storm surge devastated small coastal communities and caused severe damage in many larger cities. Most of the region was left without power. It would be weeks before many areas were able to function again. 68 people died and a total of $460 million in damage was done (equal to $3.5 billion today). It was New England's worst hurricane since the 1938 storm.
Hurricane Hazel, 1954 - Hazel is remembered as one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to strike the state of North Carolina. It also caused catastrophic damage in Haiti and Canada. In Haiti, flooding and landslides completely destroyed three towns, killing over 1,000 people. Few even knew about the storm. In North Carolina, Hazel carved a swath of destruction that spanned from Myrtle Beach to Topsail Island. Hazel maintained vigorous force well inland, bringing 100 mph winds through the mid-Atlantic region. The storm surge was as high as 18 feet in some areas. Towns in the area of Oak Island were largely destroyed or left in shambles. The shores of Onslow Bay also suffered heavy damage. Inland flooding was almost as devastating, leading to the deaths of most of the 95 people killed in the US by the storm. In Canada, the flooding was just as bad. Many rivers burst their banks, sending powerful flash floods into communities that had had little time to prepare. 81 people were killed in Canada and hundreds of homes were destroyed. In all, Hazel probably killed in excess of 1,200 people and caused several hundred million dollars in damage, over $1 billion in today's dollars.
Hurricane Alice; December, 1954 - Hurricane Alice is the only Atlantic hurricane to have spanned two calendar years and is the latest hurricane on record. Warmer seas and an unusually intense ridge of high pressure provided a haven for Alice, which was a vigorous disturbance northeast of the Leeward Islands. The disturbance had little trouble developing into a full blown hurricane, taking only 30 hours to do so. It remained a hurricane for five days, attaining sustained winds as high as 85 mph! It crossed the Leeward Islands, dropping as much as a foot of rain and causing some moderate damage. Over 600 houses on Anguilla were wrecked or destroyed. All of this coming the day after New Year's. This powerful winter tropical cyclone remains unequaled in the Atlantic.
Hurricane Diane, 1955 - North Carolina's woes continued in 1955. In August of that season, Hurricanes Connie and Diane hit just five days apart. By comparison, Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne hit Florida 10 days apart (Ivan indirectly), the closest of the 2004 season. Neither Connie nor Diane had winds stronger than 85 mph, but both caused significant disruption. Connie left North Carolina a soggy mess, but otherwise not terribly worse for wear (20-25 did die in floods) but Diane overwhelmed the heavily saturated region. Similar to Hazel, Agnes and Floyd, Diane caused historic, devastating floods. Hundreds of rivers burst their banks and flooded dozens of towns across the eastern United States. Many residents were unprepared for the severity of the flooding and were trapped in rapidly-flooding homes. 184 people died and $831 million in damage was done. That equates to $7 billion in 2007. It remains one of the most destructive hurricanes in US history.
Hurricane Hilda, 1955 - Hilda, similar to Hurricane Charlie four years earlier, tore through the Greater Antilles as a powerful hurricane, causing severe damage and flooding. Hispaniola, Cuba and Jamaica all saw flooding rains but Mexico got the worst of it. Hilda struck Tampico as a Category 3, tearing the city apart and leaving most of it underwater after the Panuco River burst its banks. Wind gusts as high as 150 mph were recorded. 304 people lost their lives in the ruinous flooding across the storm's path, most of them in Mexico and $120 million in damage was reported (equating to nearly a billion dollars with 2008 inflation).
Hurricane Janet, 1955 - Janet was a powerful hurricane that caused catastrophic damage to the coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize as well as some of the Windward Islands. Janet, a Category 3 at the time, raked Barbados and St. Vincent with winds as high as 120 mph. Much of these islands was completely destroyed (a common theme with Janet). 160 people were killed there and Janet is still considered the worst hurricane there since the 1800s. In the Caribbean, the storm grew into a monster Category 5 hurricane with 180 mph sustained winds. Janet struck the Yucatan Peninsula while still a Category 5 sometime shortly after 1 am local time near the town of Chetumal. Its exact intensity is unknown: Chetumal Airport reported gusts of 175 mph prior to anemometer failure, so Janet's strongest gusts may have surpassed official designations. Some estimates placed peak winds near 200 mph. Most of the region was left in ruins. Little of Chetumal remained standing. The storm surge was six and a half feet deep one third of a mile inland, despite the town being sheltered from the ocean by a 1.5 mile wide peninsula. The extent of the devastation may never be known. 120 bodies were recovered yet hundreds were never found. The death toll in the Yucatan was ballparked at 500, yet some believe this to be far too low. Its second landfall is even more mysterious. It struck mainland Mexico near Veracruz as a Category 2 and caused torrential rains and severe flooding but few reports go beyond that. The region had already been hit hard by Hurricane Hilda earlier that year and some sources say Janet caused some of the worst floods in Mexican history, killing as many as 800 people. Janet's minimum central pressure at landfall was 914 mbar–at the time, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane was the only storm to make landfall with greater ferocity.
Aerial images of the devastation in Corozal, Mexico. More photos can be found here. You have to scroll down a bit on the second link.
Audrey was the US's worst hurricane between 1938 and 2005, a span of 65 years.
Hurricane Audrey, 1957 - June is usually a fairly quiet month, and Hurricane Audrey appeared basically out of nowhere and completely destroyed parts of southwestern Louisiana. There was essentially nothing left of the small town of Cameron. Audrey's 12-foot storm surge leveled the town and killed over 100 of its residents. 60-80 percent of structures in and between Cameron and the village of Grand Chenier 25 miles to the east were either destroyed or severely damaged. Few of the people in those towns had the notice or the time to evacuate. The current death toll stands at 419 and may be higher as many bodies were never found. It was the deadliest US hurricane in over 18 years and it would be nearly 50 years before another hurricane killed as many people in the United States.
Hurricane Donna, 1960 - Donna was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused great destruction throughout the Leeward Islands and the East Coast of the United States. In fact, Donna brought hurricane-force winds to more places than any other Atlantic hurricane in recorded history. It was a major hurricane for nearly ten straight days, reaching Category 5 on September 4. Donna devastated Puerto Rico with torrential rains and floods that killed over 100 people. The hurricane produced significant damage in the Bahamas, yet just how much remains unknown. Some smaller islands were reportedly leveled. Donna struck south Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, causing severe damage in the Florida Keys, with many buildings being destroyed by the winds and 13-foot storm surge. Donna then proceeded to travel up the entire US east coast as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing hurricane-force winds to every state that borders the Atlantic Ocean except for Georgia; including Delaware, New Hampshire and Maine. 100-120 mph winds and 15-20 foot seas pounded the entire coastline, causing heavy damage, eventually mounting to over $3 billion...uninflated. With inflation, it comes to over $22 billion, comparable to Andrew. 164 people are confirmed killed by Donna with another 200 unaccounted for and presumed dead. It remains one of the most destructive storms in Atlantic history (in terms of property loss).
Hurricane Carla, 1961 - Carla was a large and powerful Category 5 hurricane that caused significant destruction throughout much of eastern Texas. Packing sustained winds of 145 mph, Carla struck central Texas on September 11, throwing a massive 22-foot storm surge onto the coastline. That storm surge penetrated as far as ten miles inland and destroyed almost everything in its path, which fortunately wasn't much. Wind gusts were clocked as high as 170 mph. Carla was a huge hurricane, causing damage as far away as the Louisiana Delta, about 450 miles from point of landfall. It generated its own climate and weather pattern over the state of Texas. The hurricane spawned a tornado outbreak in central Texas that killed at least 15. One tornado was a powerful F4 that ripped through Galveston, killing 12. Carla was a powerful and destructive hurricane and Texans treated it like one, conducting one of the largest evacuations in US history. Still, 43 people died and $325 million in damage was caused, equal to over $2 billion today.
Hurricane Hattie, 1961 - Belize's worst hurricane in 30 years; Hattie was a powerful, late-season Category 5, the second of the 1961 season. Slamming the south Belizean coast with 140 mph winds and a large storm surge (how large remains unknown because few buildings were left standing to take a watermark measurement). Belize City was largely destroyed, as were a few other towns in the area of landfall. Few locals knew of the severity of the storm and tried to ride it out. 275 of them died. For weeks afterward, thousands left homeless by the storm wandered the ruins trying to find anything perishable. They gathered in shelters, tent cities and shantytowns. One of these, Hattieville, remains and is a permanent town. Crime was rampant and the British military lent some naval officers to assist the police force. It took the country years to rebuild. Belize would end up moving its center of government away from Belize City to Belmopan, a town further inland. Hattie was the latest Category 5 in the history of the Atlantic and would go on to live two further lives; as Tropical Storm Simone in the Pacific and as Tropical Storm Inga in the Gulf of Mexico. No storm since has yet caused such destruction in Belize.
In its time, Flora was the third deadliest Atlantic hurricane since 1800 and it remains in the top 5.
Hurricane Flora, 1963 - Flora was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since the Santo Domingo hurricane of 1930. Weaker Hurricane Edith had passed through the same part of the Caribbean less than a week earlier, heavily saturating the region, setting the stage for its worst disaster in 33 years. Flora started at an unusually low latitude and took several days to develop. But as it neared the southern Windward Islands, the storm began to rapidly intensify; going from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just 30 hours. Flora raked Trinidad and Tobago with 100 mph winds. Heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides that killed 20 people there. Flora struck Haiti with 145 mph winds, torrential rains and a 12-foot storm surge that caused the worst human catastrophe in that beleaguered nation’s history. The heavy rains caused devastating flash floods. Some places saw over six feet of rain in just three days. These floods, as well as accompanying landslides, completely destroyed several towns and killing hundreds. Other towns were severely damaged. Over 5,000 people died in Haiti alone. In the Dominican Republic, the hurricane flooded nearly 4,000 square miles of the country. Over 400 died there. Flora spent five days meandering over basically the same spot in Cuba as a powerful hurricane. In those five days, some parts of Cuba recieved as much as 7 feet of rain! The flooding that resulted washed away hundreds of homes and devastated many towns. 1,750 people died in Cuba from the flooding. In all, Flora killed at least 7,189 people and caused a conservative $528 million in damage, $3.5 billion in 2006.
Hurricane Betsy, 1965 - Hurricane Betsy is known as the first billion-dollar hurricane. It caused severe flooding in southeastern Louisiana and moderate wind damage to south Florida. Betsy was a powerful storm, falling just short of Category 5 at peak intensity. Damage in Florida was relatively minor and mostly wind related. Louisiana was not so fortunate. Betsy roared ashore with sustained winds in excess of 130 mph. Gusts were measured as high as 140 mph. Besty's eyewall passed just south of New Orleans, but drove its storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain and creating a scene eerily reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina 40 years later. Several levees overtopped and flooded parts of the Ninth Ward, Gentilly and Arabi under as much as nine feet of water. Many residents were trapped in their homes and drowned in the rising floodwaters. The swift movement of the storm and the swift action of President Lyndon Johnson and New Orleans Mayor Vic Schiro averted a bigger catastrophe. As it was, 76 people died and $1.5 billion in damage was caused, almost entirely in Louisiana. After the storm, the levees of New Orleans were strengthened and augmented to withstand more potent storms; ones similar to Betsy that packed major hurricane winds and a fast-moving storm surge of 12-15 feet. Surely that would hold...
Hurricane Faith, 1966 - The dynamics of the north Atlantic are so much different than those of the tropical Atlantic. Above 40N is a cold, inhospitable place with conditions that change rapidly. Strong arctic fronts and massive extratropical storms routinely sweep across the entire region. Tropical cyclones, especially those of tropical origin, simply can't function in this environment. In fact, the north Atlantic is where most Atlantic hurricanes go to die. The cold water whittles them down and the extratropical storms gobble them up. Apparently, these rules didn't apply to Faith, which formed in the Cape Verde region, reached a respectable 125 mph intensity and recurved in the western Atlantic. And then it became extratropical near Newfoundland right? That's how it always works. Nope. Faith kept going and going and going, like the friggin' Energizer Bunny. The cold water, the higher wind shear had little to no effect; Faith never lost Category 2 intensity while a tropical cyclone. The storm arced across the North Atlantic Ocean very swiftly. It struck the Faroe Islands with winds in excess of 100 mph...and it was still a tropical system. It did not lose tropical cyclone status until it was about to strike Norway, which it eventually did with some force. The remnant low was tracked as far north as Franz Josef Land, only 300 miles from the North Pole! The storm also killed four people. Faith's northward trek remains unequaled. No Earth-born tropical cyclone has ever gone farther from the Equator.
Hurricane Inez, 1966 - Inez was reminiscent of Hurricane Flora just three years earlier; a powerful hurricane that moved erratically through the Greater Antilles and caused catastrophic flooding. The full extent of Inez's destruction remains unknown. The storm passed directly over the island of Guadeloupe. Floods and mudslides caused heavy damage on the island and killed 23. Inez then slammed into Hispaniola with 135 mph sustained winds. Gusts were clocked as high as 190 mph. The flooding from the slow moving storm washed away entire villages in Haiti, killing untold hundreds. In the Dominican Republic, the towns of Duverge and Oriedo were completely destroyed. Inez then passed slowly over Cuba, carrying the devastating flooding over there. Little is known about exactly what happened in Cuba. The storm stalled off Miami as a Category 1, the storm surge overwashing many roads. Five people died in Florida. Inez restrengthened over the Gulf of Mexico. It regained Category 4 status and rolled over Tampico, Mexico as a strong Category 3. Strangely little is written about this final landfall, only that damage was severe. 293 people were confirmed dead with another 700 unaccounted for. The death toll is estimated to be near 1,000 people. Millions of dollars in damage was also done.
Hurricane Beulah put parts of south Texas underwater. Here, McAllen, Texas is shown flooded knee deep in standing water.
Hurricane Beulah, 1967 - Yet another powerful, destructive hurricane, this one caused severe damage in Texas. Earlier in its life, it hit sparsely populated areas that averted catastrophe. In Hispaniola, given the destruction Hurricane Inez had wrought just the year before, massive evacuations were conducted that saved hundreds of lives. But in the Gulf of Mexico, Beulah grew into a monster Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph and it took those winds right up to the Texas coastline. Right before landfall, it weakened significantly to a 135 mph Category 4, but this didn't seem to help too much. Beulah threw a 20 foot storm surge onto South Padre Island near the mouth of the Rio Grande, devastating the entire island. The town of South Padre suffered sustained winds of 136 mph. Wind gusts over 100 mph were recorded over 50 miles inland. Parts of south Texas saw over 2 feet of rain in just a day and a half. A massive tornado outbreak occurred in the northern rainbands of the storm. 115 twisters eventually touched down and caused significant damage inland. Nearly 60 people were killed by Beulah, almost all of them in Texas. Over $1 billion in damage was done.
This used to be a three-story apartment complex. It was left in ruins by Camille. 30 people died here.
Hurricane Camille, 1969 - In terms of raw, destructive power, Camille was probably the strongest Atlantic hurricane of all time. At flight level, the Hurricane Hunters were regularly getting sustained winds well in excess of 200 mph. On the afternoon of August 17, a Hurricane Hunter estimated gusts approaching 210 mph. Mechanical problems forced the plane to leave before it could finish sampling the storm. Pressures were still falling at the time, so it's possible Camille was even stronger. Recently, it's been estimated that sustained winds at the surface were at or near 200 mph at peak intensity with a pressure well below the 905 mbar official reading. It was so powerful that on the satellite images, it appears to be on the verge of tearing itself apart. The storm's inner eyewall was sunken like a crater churning the powerful outer eyewall like the axiom of Hell. And none of these images captured Camille at its estimated peak. Camille hardly weakened at all before it slammed into the Mississippi coast near Bay St. Louis with sustained winds of around 190 mph. All wind instruments near the coast were destroyed by the storm, so how powerful Camille really was at landfall may never be known. Columbia, Mississippi reported 120 mph sustained winds 75 miles inland! A storm surge 24 feet high was thrown onto the shore. Miles and miles of shoreline were completely destroyed. In many places, there wasn't even wreckage; just concrete foundations. Large, strong antebellum homes that had withstood many a powerful hurricane were simply gone. This level of destruction continued for several miles inland, gradually leaving a little more behind. Freighters weighing tens of thousands of tons were hurled onto the shore like toys. Inland, torrential rains in the mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania and Virginia caused devastating flash floods that engulfed many towns. Some places saw as much 25 inches in just 18 hours. Camille killed 259 people; 143 along the Gulf Coast, 113 in Virginia and 3 in Cuba. This was after a massive evacuation along the coast. Damage totals came to $1.5 billion. It couldn't have been much higher; there was little left to destroy.
