Elizabeth City,North carolina's history with tropical systems
Current weather
(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.
Elizabeth City most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 24th and august 30th
Years within or near core
1876bdts,1877bdts,1878bdts,1879bdm,1881bdbr,1885bdbr,1887xtropstbd,1888bdts,1889bdbr,1892bdts,1893bdts,1893bdbr,1894bd,1897-2ts,1899,1899bdbr,1901,1907xtropst,1908br,1910ts,
1918ts,1924xtropstbd,1925ts,1928tsbd,1933,1933br,1935bdts,1936br,1942ts,1944br,1944bdts,1953,1955-2,1956xtropsstbd,1960bdts,1960,1961bdts,1963ts(hurdat),1964extropstbd,1971ts,
1972bdts,1984ts,1985br,1986ts,1992tsbr,1995xtropbdbr,1996bd,1996bdbr,1996bdxtropstbr,1998tsbdbr,1998xtropstbd,1999,2003,2004bdts,2006xtropstbd,2007tsbd,2008tsbdbr,2011,
2013bdxtropst,2014br,2016bdtsbr,2016br,2018br,2018bdts,2019br,2020bdts,2020bdxts,2021-2bdts,2023bdts
72 times in 152 yrs end of 2023






Names from list above
Barbara,Connie,Ione,Brenda,Donna,Doria,Agnes,Diana,Gloria,Andrew,Danielle,Allison,Bertha,Fran,Josephine,Bonnie,Floyd,Earl,Isabel,Charley,Hanna,Irene,Andrea,
Arthur,Hermine,Matthew,Florence,Michael,Dorian,Isaias,Zeta,Claudette,Elsa,Ophelia,


Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio
TS=44, 61.11% H=28, 38.89%
only 1.69% of all tropical systems affecting Elizabeth City are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms
11 years 1973-1983

How often this area gets affected?
brushed or hit every 2.11 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)
(13h)once every 11.69 years State stats

Average years between direct major hurricane hits.(major hurricane at adv upon passage)
(1)not enough data

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts)
87mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next
before the end of 2025
This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year

Last affected by
2023 Sept 23rd tropical storm Ophelia passes just west with 45mph winds while moving north.

This areas hurricane past
1879 Aug 18th from the south with 115mph winds moving north
1894 A tropical storm regains Hurricane strength with 80mph winds while pulling away on Sept 29th
1899 Aug 18th 80mph from the S.E
1901 July 11th from the east category 1 winds 80mph
1933 Aug 23rd,85mph (hurdat2) moving NNW
1953 aug 13th hurricane Barbara hits from the south with 80mph gusts to 90mph. weather map
1955 Connie a slow moving hurricane with 85mph winds(hurdat) weakens as it moves into area on Aug 12th,Connie causes 7 ft tides & destroyes the beaches .Newspaper headline
1955 Sept 19th,Hurricane Ione weakening with 100mph(hurdat) winds while turning N.E.
1960 Sept 12th Hurricane Donna passes by just east while moving NNE with 105mph winds
1996 Bertha,July 13th,75mph from the south
1999 Sept 16th Hurricane Floyd hits from the SSW with 80mph winds
2003 Sept 18th Hurricane Isabel passes approx 50 miles to the west while moving NNW. Isabel approx 85mph at the passage downed many trees & virtually all of Elizabeth city was without power.Scores of downed trees, snapped power lines and at least one death left a testament to the fury of the storm. And some residents might not see power restored for two weeks, officials said. A 25-year-old woman, Angelique Jones, was killed on Carl Drive, a street in the Cape Colony subdivision, when a tree fell on her Honda Passport at about 1:30 p.m. Five injured by flying glass at evacuation shelter here. Richard Horodner Elizabeth city | radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Newspaper headline | damage photos | Newspaper article | hit map | surge animation | NHC final report | USGS surge info
2011 Aug 27th, Hurricane Irene hits with 80mph winds while moving NNE causing minor damage. Official high wind gust was 74mph in Elizabeth city with sustained around 50mph Aug 27-28th. Irene model history | our coverage as it happened | Radar animation | NHC final report | USGS surge info


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Stat sources: NHC Track maps/hurdat2/cyclone reports Hurricane research division
Text Sources:(alp)....Divine Wind Kerry Emanuel.....Florida Hurricanes & Tropical Storms John M. Williams & Iver W.Duedall.....Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes.....Hurricane Almanac Bryan Norcross.....hurricanecity.com (calculations) Jim Williams.....Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States Rick Schwartz.....Hurricane Watch Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams.....Inside the Hurricane Pete Davies..... Isaac's Storm Erik Larson..... Killer Cane Robert Mykle.....Lunatic Wind William Price Fox....Miami Herald newspaper(microfilm).....Path of destruction John McQuaid & Mark Schleifstein.....Sun sentinel newspaper(microfilm).....The Major Hurricanes to affect the Bahamas Wayne Neely.....The Ship & the Storm Jim Carrier.....plus many more.............

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