Atlantic City, New Jersey's History with Tropical Systems

(br) = Brush (ts) = Tropical Storm (bd) = Back Door, meaning coming from over land from opposite coast. Not all names are noted. Also, storms before 1950 were not named. Not every stat on every storm description is given. (since 1871)

Atlantic City most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 14th and September 20th

Years within or near core

1872bdts
1874bdts
1877xtropstbd
1879
1881tsbr
1882bdtsbr
1882ts
1888xtropstbd
1893
1893bdtsbr
1894tsbr
1894
1897tsbr
1899bdxtropstbr
1900xtropst
1902xtropstbd
1903
1904xtroph
1916bdxtropst
1924xtroph
1934bdxtropst
1934xtrophbr
1936
1938brm
1944tsbd
1944br
1944xtropst
1954brm
1955bdtsbr
1960ts
1960
1961ts
1971 ts
1972tsbr
1976
1985
1985tsbr
1996bdts
1999ts
2004ts
2008tsbd
2011ts
2012xtroph
2013bdxtropst
2020ts 2020bdts
2020bdxts
2021bdts
2023bdtsbr

49 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (B storms most likely to impact the area)

Carol
Diane
Brenda
Donna
Doria
Agnes
Belle
Gloria
Henri
Bertha
Floyd
Charley
Hanna
Irene
Sandy
Andrea
Fay
Isaias
Zeta
Elsa
Ophelia

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 35, 71.43%
H = 14, 28.57%

only 2.55% of all tropical systems in Atlantic City are major hurricanes

Longest gap between storms

11 years 1905-1915

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 3.12 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (usually within 40 to 60 miles to include small hurricanes)

Once every 13.91 years. (11 hits) State stats

Average years between direct major hurricane hits. (major hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)

No data (0 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

86 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2023 September 23rd Tropical Storm Ophelia passes southwest with 45 mph winds while becoming post tropical.

This area's hurricane history

1879 August 18th, 90 mph to the east from the south-southwest.
1893 August 24th a hurricane with 90 mph winds passes approximately 30 miles to the east while heading north-northeast.
1894 October 10th, 85 mph winds just east from the south-southwest.
1903 a category 1 hits with 75 mph winds on September 16th from the south dubbed "the Vagabond Hurricane" because it seemed to wonder in unexpected & unwanted. Considerable damage estimated at 8 million.
1904 September 15th, extratropical hurricane hits from the southwest with 75 mph winds.
1924 extratropical hurricane hits just east from the south-southwest on September 30th with 75 mph winds.
1936 September 19th a 95 mph hurricane turns back out to sea from the southwest while passing just east of here.
1960 September 12th, Hurricane Donna passes approximately 60 miles to the east from the south-southwest of Atlantic City with 105 mph winds 9 killed in New Jersey. More here
1976 August 9th, Hurricane Belle passes just east with 90 mph winds from the south. NHC Wallet
1985 Hurricane Gloria stays just offshore while moving north with 90 mph winds. Shuts down NYSE on September 27th. Newspaper article #1 | Newspaper article #2 | More on Hurricane Gloria here
2012 October 29th Hurricane Sandy hits while becoming post tropical with winds around 80 mph and 945 mb major hurricane type pressure. Sustained hurricane-force winds therefore almost certainly occurred in New Jersey, although these are believed to have occurred exclusively after Sandy's extratropical transition. Area hit very hard especially from storm surge with worst damage further north. New Jersey death toll as of November 3rd was 22 with coastal destruction north of the Casino area. Six to 8.5 inches of rain reported total for storm in Atlantic City 945.5 mb. Atlantic City Marina reported gust to 78 mph, Atlantic City surge 5.82 feet, 12 deaths in New Jersey. Complete stats & images on Sandy | Sandy model history | Sandy best models | Sandy visible satellite movie | Hurricane warning show | Telethon to raise money | Post NHC | Radar loop | Ocean City flooding video | USGS surge info

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Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......