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Continental United States hurricane strikes 1950-2007

The list of United States hurricanes includes all tropical cyclones officially recorded to have produced sustained winds of greater than 74 mph (118 km/h) in the United States, which is the minimum threshold for hurricane intensity. The list, which is sorted by U.S. state, begins in 1851 with the start of the official Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT), as provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hurricane Research Division; the data from 1926 to 1979 is subject to change, due to the lack of official wind speed estimates during the time period. Since 1851, a total of 284 Atlantic tropical cyclones produced hurricane-force winds in 19 states along the Atlantic coast. Additionally, two Pacific hurricanes struck Hawaii, and one Pacific tropical cyclone brought hurricane force winds to California. The tables list hurricanes by category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, based on winds that occurred in each state.

Statistics

Map of the United States; click on individual states to be directed to its article, or click on some coastal states to be directed to a list of tropical cyclones in those locations

A total of 284 Atlantic tropical cyclones have produced hurricane-force winds in every state along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, as well as Pennsylvania. Florida was affected by 113 hurricanes, which was more than any other state; Texas ranked second, with 61 hurricanes, and Louisiana ranked third, with 52 cyclones. Hurricane Donna affected a total of eight states—more than any other hurricane.^[1]

The earliest time in the year for a hurricane to strike the nation was June 9, which was set by Hurricane Alma in 1966. The earliest major hurricane to strike the nation occurred in 1934, when an unnamed tropical cyclone made landfall on June 16. The latest in the year for a hurricane to strike the nation was December 1, which was set by a hurricane in 1925. The latest in the year for a major hurricane to strike the nation was from the Tampa Bay Hurricane of 1921, which moved ashore on October 25.^[1]

The 1880s were the most active decade for the United States, with a total of 27 hurricanes affecting the nation. By contrast, the least active decade was the 1970s, with a total of only 12 hurricanes affecting the American coastline. A total of 28 seasons on record passed without an Atlantic hurricane affecting the country—the most recent of which was the 2006 season. Seven Atlantic hurricanes affected the country in the 1886 season, which was the year with the most United States hurricanes.^[1]

Impact

The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense hurricane to make landfall the country, having struck the Florida Keys with a pressure of 892 mbar. It was one of only three hurricanes to move ashore as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale; the others were Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which had a landfalling pressure of 909 mbar and 922 mbar, respectively. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the third most intense hurricane to strike the country with a pressure of 920 mbar, though its winds were not as strong as Andrew.^[2]

The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was the deadliest hurricane in the history of the United States, killing at least 8,000 people. The 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane caused at least 2,500 casualties, and in 2005, Hurricane Katrina killed about 1,500 people. In the 1893 season, two hurricanes each caused over 1,000 deaths.^[2]

Accounting for inflation, nine Atlantic hurricanes caused a damage total of over $10 billion (2006 USD), including three from the 2005 season. The costliest was Hurricane Katrina, with damage amounting to $84.6 billion. Of the thirty costliest United States hurricanes, ten were after the year 2000.^[2]

States bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Alabama

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Mississippi

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Though not directly bordering the Atlantic Ocean, the Gale of 1878 produced hurricane force winds in the state, the only tropical cyclone on record to do so.^[1] Furthermore, Hurricane Agnes (1972) had a severe impact on the state. Although it had been only a Category 1 storm, and had weakened to a mere tropical rainstorm by the time it reached Pennsylvania, Hurricane Agnes nevertheless caused severe flooding, as well as enormous economic damage.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia

States bordering the Pacific Ocean

Southwestern United States

The 1858 San Diego Hurricane is the only Pacific tropical cyclone known to have produced hurricane-force winds in California; it affected San Diego on October 2, 1858, though its center remained just offshore. In the 20th century, only four tropical cyclones produced tropical storm force winds in the southwestern United States: a tropical storm in September 1939 in California, Hurricane Joanne in October 1972 in Arizona, Hurricane Kathleen in September 1976 in Arizona and California, and Hurricane Nora in September 1997 in Arizona.^[7]

Hawaii

Climatological statistics

See also

Tropical cyclones portal

• Climate of the United States
• List of Atlantic hurricanes

References

External links

• Chronological List of All Hurricanes which Affected the Continental United States: 1851-2007