Eleuthera Island, Bahamas' 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)

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

Years within or near core

1871
1877tsbr
1877ts
1878ts
1879
1880ts
1883
1884br
1887br
1888
1888ts
1891
1893-2m
1893brm
1896m
1897-2ts
1899brm
1901ts
1903
1906m
1908m
1908
1909ts
1916ts
1919br
1923ts
1926-2m
1926ts
1927tsbr
1927ts
1928br
1928m
1929m
1932m
1933
1933-2m
1933ts
1934br
1937-2ts
1939ts
1941
1942ts
1945
1947brm
1947tsbr
1949m
1952m
1956
1958tsbr
1961ts (HURDAT)
1965m
1973ts
1992m
1995
1996
1999br
1999m
2001
2004m
2005tsbr
2007ts
2011
2012
2015ts
2016brm
2019brm
2020br
2020tsbr
2022tsbr

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

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

Fox
Carol
Gerda
Betsy
Gerda
Janice
Betsy
Gilda
Andrew
Erin
Bertha
Dennis
Floyd
Michelle
Frances
Franklin
Noel
Irene
Sandy
Kate
Matthew
Dorian
Isaias
Eta
Nicole

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 28, 37.84%
H = 46, 62.16%

only 32.39% of all tropical systems affecting Eleuthera Island are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

18years 1973-1992

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.07 years

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

Once every 4.5 years. (34 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 8.5 years. (18 hits)

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

114 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

due in 2025

Last affected by

2022 November 9th Tropical Storm Nicole brushes well to the north while moving west with 70 mph winds.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 24th a 105 mph cane hits while moving west-northwest
1879 August 16th 90 mph from the south-southeast
1883 September 8th 105 mph just west from the South
1888 August 15th 90 mph from the east-southeast
1891 August 23rd, 95 mph from the east-southeast
1893 August 19th 120 mph from the southeast passes just east. Hit map
1893 August 26th 120 mph from the east-southeast. Hit map
1896 September 5th 115 mph from the south hits north side of island. Hit map
1903 September 10th 80 mph from the east-southeast
1906 September 6th, 125 mph just north
1908 September 13th, 120 mph from the south-southeast
1908 October 1st, 110 mph winds just north while moving east-northeast
1926 July 26th 130 mph from the southeast
1926 September 17th 145 mph just south from the east-southeast
1928 September 16th, many buildings destroyed by west-northwest moving category 4 with 155 mph winds.Heavy damage on island but no loss of life.
1929 September 25th 115 mph winds from the northeast. 75 to 100 knot winds upon passage.
1932 September 5th 155 mph Hurricane hits from the east.
1933 July 29th, 90 mph from the southeast
1933 September 3rd a major hurricane hits with a pressure of 27.98 140 mph heavy damage, eye passes over Harbour Island at 6 am. No deaths reported but there was major damage to property.
1933 October 5th, 150 mph just north while moving northeast.
1941 October 5th, 105 mph from the east-southeast.
1945 October 13th, 75 mph from the southwest.
1949 August 26th, 115 mph from the east-southeast.
1952 October 26th, 115 mph Hurricane Fox from the west moving east.
1956 August 14th, 110 mph the first of 2 betsy's to affect this area just east.
1965 Hurricane Betsy moving southwest hits northern portion of Island with 120 mph winds causing heavy damage on September 7th. Radar track | Newspaper article.
1992 Hurricane Andrew August 23rd hits the northern tip with 170 mph winds reports of a 23 ft storm surge kills 4 people in the town of spanish wells, bluff & bogue were devestated from andrew.All homes & buildings suffered considerable damage especially in cat cay where complete settlements were devestated. Letter of possible gust to 210 mph.
1995 August 1st, Hurricane Erin hits with 75 mph winds pressure 29.12 minor damage. NHC report
1996 July 10th, 105 mph Hurricane Bertha just ne of here moving northwest NHC report
1999 September 14th 8 am Hurricane Floyd hits with 155 mph winds snapping palm trees & ripping off many roofs.A 20 ft storm surge inundated the island. Approx 25% of homes suffered some damage. Damage photo | Average model error
Nov 5th 2001 Hurricane Michelle hits with 80 mph winds while moving quickly northeast from the southwest, pressure 28.87. Newspaper article | Ham radio news reports | NHC report
2004, September 3rd Hurricane Frances hits with 115 mph winds.Understand Cookie�s garage has sustained significant roof damage.Eye lasted 90 min in Governers Harbour. Governers reported worse winds after eye. Some roofs on Harbour are damaged, many trees down so far.Some roofs are gone and trees down but he was fine and so were his golf carts. The roof was off of the pre school.The maximum sustained wind reported from a land station was 87 kt at North Eleuthera in the northwestern Bahamas at 1000 UTC 3 September. Ham reports at landfall 03/12Z ELEUTHERA RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF NEAR 100 MPH...161 KM/HR AND NASSAU JUST REPORTED A 75 MPH...120 KM/HR WIND GUST. NHC report
2011 August 25th Hurricane Irene hits with 105 mph winds while moving northwest right over the island causing moderate damage over several parts of the island. Hurricane Warning Show | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Irene model history
2012 October 25th, Hurricane Sandy hits from the south while moving north-northwest with 90 mph winds. Sandy model history | Post NHC | Sandy video from Eleuthera

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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......