Dauphin Island, Alabama'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)

Dauphin Island most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 7th and September 13th

Years within or near core

1877
1881ts
1882m
1885ts
1887ts
1889ts
1893
1894ts
1895tsbr
1900tsbr
1901
1902ts
1904tsbr
1906m
1907ts
1911
1912
1914tsbd
1916-2m
1917
1919tsbr
1923-2tsbr
1926m
1932
1934ts
1939ts
1944tsbr
1947ts
1950
1955tsbr
1956
1959ts
1960tsbr
1964bdxtropst
1969brm
1979m
1985m
1985tsbr
1995br
1995brm
1997
1998br
2002ts
2004m
2005-2tsbr
2005m
2009ts
2017ts
2017br
2018ts
2020ts
2020
2020br
2021ts
2021mbr

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

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

Baker
Irene
Flossy
Ethell
Hilda
Camille
Dora
Frederic
Elena
Juan
Erin
Opal
Danny
Georges
Hanna
Ivan
Arlene
Cindy
Katrina
Ida
Cindy
Nate
Gordon
Cristobal
Sally
Zeta
Claudette
Ida

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 31, 53.57%
H = 27, 46.43%

only 21.15% of all tropical systems affecting Dauphin Island are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1970-1978 & 1986-1994

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.64 years

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

Once every 7.65 years. (20 hits) State stats (older site)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 17 years. (9 hits)

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

104 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

due in 2025

Last affected by

2021 August 29th Hurricane Ida passes well to the west with 120 mph winds at closest approach.

This area's hurricane history

1877 September 19th 80 mph from the west-southwest.
1882 September 9th 115 mph from the southwest.
1893 October 2nd 105 mph from the southwest.
1901 90 mph from the southwest August 15th.
1906 pressure 28.84 high storm surge September 27th 130 mph winds cause heavy damage
1911 August 11th 80 mph from the southeast.
1912 September 13th 80 mph from the south.
1916 July 5th 120 mph from the south.
1916 October 18th 115 mph from the south-southwest.
1917 September 28th 105 mph from the southwest just southeast of here.
1926 September 20th, 115 mph from the east-southeast while weakening. Newspaper headline
1932 August 31st, a category 1 80 mph hits the area from the southeast.
1950 August 30th Hurricane baker hits from the south with 85 mph winds.
1956 September 24th 100mph (HURDAT) Hurricane Flossy dumps very heavy rain here while passing to the south moving east-northeast
1979 September 12th frederic hits just east with 130 mph winds gusts to 145 mph but due to being east Frederic pulled water away from shore.moderate damage here an 11 ft surge near mainland wipes out the causeway leading to Dauphin Island. Damage photo | Newspaper headline
1985 Hurricane Elena September 2nd advisory winds 115 mph, passes 15 miles to the west, area gets 100 mph winds with gusts to 135 mph, moderate damage. Dauphin Island at 3:08 am CDT on September 2nd had sustained winds of 98 mph, peak gust 122 mph. Dauphin Island debris line height above mean sea level was 5.6 feet at Beach Road - bayside. Most of Dauphin Island was inundated. Wind map | Damage survey
1997 July 18th, Danny hits direct from the southwest with 80 mph winds, pressure 29.06 inHg, stayed near the same area for almost 24 hours dumping nearly 37 inches of rain with sustained winds on Dauphin Island at 70mph. (some minor roof damage) Very heavy rain. 2 killed. NHC Danny report
2004, September 16th very early morning, Hurricane Ivan just East by 25 miles with 130 mph winds moving north-northeast over Eastern Alabama with Ivan having a wind field approximately 85 miles out.Moderate damage here with reports of tidal flooding. Ivan wind swath map | USGS surge info | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2005 August 29th Hurricane Katrina hits western Mississippi as a category 3/4 125 mph passing approximately 80 west of here. Dauphin Island reports heavy damage to many structures, oil rig washes onshore. Dauphin Island (DPIA1) - 986.1 mb at 1450 UTC. Highest tide (MSL) at Dauphin Island (DAUA1) 6.63 feet at 1645 UTC. Gusts to 102 mph. Storm tide flooding occurred on Dauphin Island with the west end of the island completely submerged. Damaged oil rig near shore | USGS Island after Katrina | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2020 September 16th Hurricane Sally passes over while moving northeast with 105 mph winds. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Radar shot closest approach | Hit map closest approach

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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......