(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).
Years
within or near core1871m,1871,1873ts,1876ts,1877ts,1878br,1879br,1880br,1881tsbr,1881br,1883,1885br,1886,1887br,1887m,1888brm,1888ts,1888tsbr,1892ts,1893-2m,1893ts,1895ts,1895,1896brm, 1898-2ts,1899m,1899,1901tsbr,1903br,1906,1906brm,1906,1908ts,1908,1909ts,1909,1916ts,1916xtropts,1924ts,1926,1926brm,1926ts,1926m,1927tsbr,1928,1928m,1932m,1933,1933-2m, 1935m,1935,1936ts,1937-2ts,1938ts,1939ts,1946,1947m,1947ts,1947bd,1948bdbr,1948,1949m,1951,1953-2ts,1959ts,1964bdbrm,1965brm,1966br,1974subts,1979br,1984tsbr,1987ts, 1991xtropst,1995,1996br,1998bdts,1999m,2004,2004m,2005ts,2005bd,2011br,2012br,2016m,2017bdbr,2019m,2020ts,2020tsbr,2022,2024bdbr 95
times in 153yrs end of 2024
Names from list above I storms most likely to impact area Able,Judith,Isbell,Betsy,Inez,David,Isidore,Floyd,Fabian,Erin,Bertha,Mitch,Dennis,Floyd,Frances,Jeanne,Katrina,Wilma,Irene,Sandy,Matthew,Irma,Dorian,Isaias,Eta,Nicole,Milton,
Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio TS=36, 37.89% H=59, 62.11%
Longest gap between storms 7years 1916-1924 & 1966-1974
How often this area gets
affected? brushed or hit every 1.61 years
Average years between direct hurricane hits.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours) (38h)once every 4.03 years
Average years between major hurricane hits.(17) once every 9 years
Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts) 108 mph
Statistically when this area should be affected
next before the end of 2026
Last affected by 2024 Oct 10th hurricane Milton brushes well to the north with 85mph winds while moving ENE after hitting FL.
This areas hurricane past 1871 Aug 15th,a
hurricane hits direct from the east with 115mph winds. Hit map
1871 Aug 24th 105mph from the ESE 1883 sept 9th a hurricane hits from the SSE with 105mph winds 106 killed in Bahamas 1886 Aug 23rd 95mph from the south 1887 Aug 22nd 125mph from the East 1893 Aug 26th 120mph from the ESE Hit map 1893 Oct 12th 120mph from the ESE while passing just north Hit map 1895 Oct 22nd ,105mph from the SSW 1899 Aug 13th 120mph from the SSE 1899 Oct 30th, 95mph from the south 1906 June 17th, 85mph from the S.W 1906 Oct 18th, 110 mph from the SW passes just west of here 1908 Oct 1st, 110mph from the WSW passes just east of here 1909 Oct 11th ,95mph from the WSW 1926 July 27th a hurricane passes just SW while moving NW with 105mph winds.Police dock swept away & bridge at Howks Bill creek destroyed. 1926 Oct 21st 115mph from the S.W 1928 Aug 7th ,95mph from the S.E passes just east of here 1928 sept 16th a 150mph hurricane passes just west while moving N.W.Roads completely washed out,most homes destroyed or severely damaged. 1932 Sept 6th 160mph winds from the south hits east side of Island on way out to sea. 1933 July 29th 85mph from the ESE 1933 Sept 3rd, 130mph from the ESE just south of here 1933 Oct 5th 150mph from the S.W passes just SE of here 1935 Sept 29th 115mph from the S.W 1935 nov 3 rd 80mph,from the north press 28.46 heavy damage 1946 Sept 12th, 75mph from the S.W passes just east 1947 Sept 17th,130mph , in hope town maximum wind gusts were
estimated at 160mph in sept causing heavy damage. 1947 Oct 12th, 75mph (hurdat2)from the S.W after hitting Florida passes just north. 1948 oct 6th,95mph from the S.W wind gusts estimated at 110mph 1949 Aug 26th 130mph from the ESE passes just south 1951 May 18th,hurricane able hits
from the north with 85mph winds(hurdat) & loops near the island before heading north again,hit area
as a cat 1. 1995 Aug 2nd,from the ESE,hurricane Erin stays over the island as a cat 1
for several hours with 85mph winds pressure 29.12 minor damage.NHC report 1999 Sept 14th,140mph from the S.E hurricane Floyd just east of east end Grand Bahama causes minor damage here due to eye wall reforming & being on weaker west side,some storm surge flooding did occur. NHC report
2004, Sept 4th Hurricane Frances hits with 105mph winds,a 12 to 15 ft ft storm surge reported,many evacuated but 1 man drowns in storm surge.Freeport Crowne plaza resort hotel glass windows blown out. photo | Radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) |
2004,Sept 25th Hurricane Jeanne moves just north with 120mph winds.In 8 Mile Rock, the largest community on Grand Bahama Island, over 75 percent of the homes have suffered serious structural damage, with roofs partially or completely torn off. All shelters in 8 Mile Rock sustained structural damages and/or flooding. An unknown number of families were relocated and remain in shelters. The eastern half of the island has been cut off by storm surges and reports indicate significant flooding of homes, particularly along the coastline. In the city of Freeport on Grand Bahama Island, the airport was flooded but was reopened on Sunday. Six people on island had major injuries.sat image | Models 3 days before hitting
2005,Oct 24th Hurricane Wilma passes by to the north by 60 miles from the SW with 110mph winds while moving quickly N.E. 96mph with gusts to 119mph with a storm surge sweeping away buildings & roads on bay side up to 15ft. Two hundred homes reported destroyed on island leaving 1500 homeless.Radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | NHC report
2016,Oct 6th ,Hurricane Matthew passes over west end with 140mph winds while moving N.W. causing heavy damage. On western Grand Bahama Island, it is estimated that 95%
of the homes in the townships of Eight Mile Rock and Holmes Rock sustained severe damage (per NHC) Radar courtesy of Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School | Damage shot | Matthew timeline | NHC final report
2019, Sept 2nd Hurricane Dorian hits the entire island with 165mph winds while moving very slowly then stalling hitting the island hard for over 24 hrs. At Settlement Point on the western tip of Grand Bahama Island measured a water level
of 6.4 ft above Mean Higher High Water 11 people lost live on Grand Bahama. The Bahamas Weather Service also reported that there were
245 people missing at the time of their report.(per NHC)Our coverage as it happened | Radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School).Final av model error | Wayne Neely's book on Dorian | NHC report
2022 November 9th Nicole becomes a hurricane while passing over moving west with 75mph winds. Radar animation
Grand Bahama Island's history with tropical
systems
