Turks & Caicos' 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)

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

Years within or near core

1871
1877ts
1878br
1879ts
1879tsbr
1882
1885ts
1886ts
1888
1889ts
1891
1893m
1896br
1899brm
1899ts
1901ts
1903ts
1905ts
1906m
1908br
1919ts
1921tsbr
1926
1926m
1928m
1932ts
1932br
1933-2
1934tsbr
1940-2ts
1940tsbr
1941ts
1942ts
1945m
1945ts
1949-2tsbr
1952ts
1953tsbr
1954-2br
1955br
1955tsbr
1956
1959tsbr
1960m
1960tsbr
1961tsbr
1963ts
1963br
1981ts
1985ts
1985
1987tsbr
1996br
1996brm
2003ts
2004m
2004ts
2008
2008m
2010
2011
2014ts
2017-2m
2020br
2022m
2024
2025mbr not in stats

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

Names from list above (F and I storms most likely to impact the area)

Charlie
Dolly
Edna
Hazel
Hilda
Katie
Betsy
Gracie
Donna
Florence
Frances
Edith
Flora
Gert
Isabel
Kate
Emily
Bertha
Hortense
Mindy
Frances
Jeanne
Hanna
Ike
Tomas
Irene
Bertha
Irma
Maria
Isaias
Fiona
Oscar
Erin

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 35, 48.61%
H = 37, 51.39%

only 18.31% of all tropical systems in Turks & Caicos are major hurricanes

Longest gap between storms

17 years 1964-1980

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.13 years

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

Once every 6.65 years. (23 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 13.91 years. (11 hits)

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

112 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Brushed in 2025

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

Last affected by

2025 Major hurricane Erin brushes 105 miles to the N.E with 130mph winds on August 18th.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 23rd, a Hurricane with 105 mph winds passes just north while moving west-northwest
1882 September 3rd, 75 mph while moving west
1888, 90 mph September 4th many killed traveled east to west
1891 August 21st 95 mph while moving west-northwest just north
1893 August 18th 120 mph while moving northwest. Hit map
1906 September 4th, 130 mph just north from the east-southeast
1926 July 24th, 110 mph from the east-southeast just south
1926 September 16th, 150 mph from the east-southeast Turks reports winds gusting to 150 mph with huge boulders being slammed on beaches.Storm surge moves 3/4 of a mile inland with roofs ripped off buildings.
1928 September 15th, 155 mph winds moving west-northwest, 18 killed in Turks & Caicos. Wayne Neely book on 1928 hurricane
1933 pressure 29.37 85 mph, July 28th from the east-.1933 August 31st 80 mph from the east-southeast,
1945 September 14th 120 mph, many roofs torn off homes pressure 28.84 inHg moving west-northwest. Several killed.
1956 Betsy August 13th 110 mph from the southeast
1960 Hurricane Donna September 7th, 145 mph just north from the east dumps 20 inches of rain in 24 hrs. More here | Gordon Dunn talks about forecasting Donna
1985, 90 mph hurricane kate hits as a category 1 on November 18th while moving west. NHC Wallet
2004, September 1st, Hurricane Frances passes just north with 140 mph winds, moderate damage.Numerous trees down. Minor roof damage to some homes along Whitby Beach. some roof damage, shingles, guttering, etc. On Providenciales, reports of two homes damaged but no one hurt or killed. There are about 10 utility poles down, but not major damage to the power. Sat image at time of landfall hurricane watch net 02/00Z DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS...GRAND TURK ISLAND REPORTED A SUSTAINED WIND OF 79 MPH...125 KM/HR...AS THE EYE OF FRANCES PASSED TO THE NORTH. SOME DAMAGE TO TREES AND ROOFS HAVE BEEN ALSO BEEN REPORTED ON THE ISLAND. NHC report
2008 September 2nd Hurricane Hanna hits with 80 mph winds while drifting southeast, minor damage reported. Official observations only showed gusts to 66 mph so it was unlikely that hurricane force winds were experienced over the islands except for the western most regions. NHC report
2008 September 7th, Ike hits with 135 mph winds just south.In South Caicos, a fishing-dependent island of 1,500 people, most homes were damaged, the airport was under water, power will be out for weeks, and every single boat was swept away despite being towed ashore for safety, Minister of Natural Resorces Piper Hanchell said.In Providenciales, there was flooding, roof damage and downed power lines but no injuries, he said.Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) The airports in Providenciales, Grand Turk, and South Caicos were all flooded during the storm At 3:40 pm EDT on Sep 7, 2008, no casualties have been reported in the Turks and Caicos. Grand Turk suffered approximately 85% damage to housing and infrastructure of which 50% is major and reported sustained winds of 116 mph. South Caicos suffered major damage with approximately 65% of roofs blown off. Report from Middle Caicos and North Caicos indicated that there was only minor damage to roofs. There is major flooding in South Caicos due in part to previous ground saturation from Tropical Storm Hanna. North and Middle Caicos had minimal flooding of roads. In Grand Turk, roads are impassable due to fallen poles and electrical wires. Grand Turk, North, Middle, and South Caicos, and Salt Cay have lost electricity and water. While Provo has suffered some roof damage and some poles, all utilities and major infrastructure are still intact. | Ike model history
2010 November 6th Hurricane Tomas hits the east part of the islands with 75 mph while weakening to a tropical storm moving northeast. Tomas model history
2011 August 23rd Hurricane Irene passes just south while moving west-northwest with 90 mph winds. Irene model history
2017 Hurricane Irma hits September 7th with 175 mph winds while moving just south. Irma ripped off roofs on the main island, Grand Turk, flooded streets, snapped utility poles and caused a widespread black-out. Best track data | Satellite image of Hurricane Irma hitting with Jose behind | NHC report
2017 September 22nd Hurricane Maria passes just east with 125 mph winds while moving north-northwest. Probabilistic tracks | Main models | NHC report
2022 September 20th Hurricane Fiona hits with 115 mph winds while moving north-northwest. Hit map
2024 October 19th Hurricane Oscar hits Turk Island and southern Caicos with 85 mph winds while moving west.

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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......