Boston, Massachusetts' 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)

Boston most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 31st and September 6th

Years within or near core

1872bdts
1874bdts
1877xtropst
1878extratropbd
1879br
1880xtropstbr
1888bdts
1888extratropbdts
1893tsbr
1893bdtsbr
1894ts
1896br
1897ts
1899xtropstbr
1902xtropst
1904xtrophbr
1908ts
1913xtropstbr
1916xtropts
1916br
1923ts
1934bdxtropst
1938brm
1944
1954
1954br
1960ts
1960
1961br
1961tsbd
1971bdtsbr
1972tsbr
1976tsbr
1985br
1991
1996tsbd
1999ts
2004ts
2007xtropst
2008bdts
2011ts
2013bdxtropst
2019subtsbr
2021xts
2021tsbr
2023br

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

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

Carol
Edna
Brenda
Donna
Esther
Doria
Carrie
Belle
Gloria
Bob
Bertha
Floyd
Charley
Barry
Hanna
Irene
Andrea
Melissa
Elsa
Henri
Lee

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 32, 69.57%
H = 14, 30.43%

only 2.38% of all tropical systems in Boston are major hurricanes

Longest gap between storms

10 years 1924-1933

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 3.33 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for a couple of hours)

Once every 38.25 years. (4 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

No data (0 hits)

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

93 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 16th Hurricane Lee well to east expanding in size with 80 mph winds area had gusts to 46 mph.

This area's hurricane history

1938 the long island express hurricane was an extratropical category 1 with 90 mph winds while passing over 150miles to the west of Boston. Newpaper Headline | Video
1944 80 mph winds from the south-southwest September 15th pressure 28.34 map
1954 Hurricane Carol hits from the south-southwest with 100 mph winds (HURDAT) on August 31st.Center estimated passage of 35 miles west of the city with a pressure of 963 mb 28.42inch. A strong pressure gradient caused very high winds here and toppled the steeple of the Old North Church.A storm tide of 3.6 ft was observed. Newspaper Headline | Maximum wind map
1960 Hurricane Donna hits with 80 mph winds on September 13th coming from the south-southwest more here
1991 August 19th Hurricane Bob passes over with 110 mph winds while moving quickly north-northeast. NHC Wallet

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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......