Gulf Shores Alabama 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.
Gulf Shores most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 24th and august 30th
Years within or near core
1872tsbr,1875tsbr,1877,1879tsbr,1880tsbr,1881ts,1882m,1885tsbr,1885bdts,1887br,1887bdtsbr,1889ts,1893br,1894ts,1894br,1895tsbr,1896br,1901br,1901tsbr,1902ts,1906,1907tsbr,
1911,1912,1914bdts,1916-2m,1917,1919ts,1923ts,1926m,1932,1934ts,1936br,1939ts,1939tsbr,1947ts,1950,1953br,1955tsbr,1956,1959ts,1960tsbr,1964xtropstbd,1969brm,1975brm,1979m,
1985m,1985ts,1995,1995m,1997,1998br,2002ts,2004m,2005ts,2005m,2009ts,2017ts,2017br,2018ts,2018mbr,2020tsbr,2020,2020br,2021ts
66 times in 152 yrs end of 2023






Names from list above
Baker,Florence,Flossy,Ethel,Hilda,Camille,Eloise,Irene,Frederic,Elena,Juan,Erin,Opal,Danny,Georges,Hanna,Ivan,Arlene,Dennis,Ida,Cindy,Nate,Gordon,Michael,Cristobal,Sally,Zeta,Claudette,

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio
TS=33, 50% H=33, 50%
only 19.36% of all tropical systems affecting Gulf Shores are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms
9 years 1986-1994

How often this area gets affected?
Gulf Shores brushed or hit every 2.30 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits in Gulf Shores.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)
(20h)once every 7.6 years State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits in Gulf Shores.(9)
once every 16.89 years

Average MPH of hurricane hits in Gulf Shores. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts)
103 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next
before the end of 2024
This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year

Last affected by
2021 June 19th Tropical Storm Claudette passes to NNW by 101 miles with 40mph winds while moving NE.

in Gulf Shores hurricane past
1877 Sept 19th 80mph from the WSW
1882 Sept 9th, 125mph from the S.W just east of here. Hit map
1906 Sept 27th, 110mph just west causes a very high storm surge of 10 ft
1911 Aug 11th, 80mph from the S.E
1912 Sept 14th, 75mph from the south
1916 July 5th, 120mph from the south just west
1916 just east Oct 18th 115mph from the SSW causes winds over 100mph & a 10ft storm surge
1917 Sept 28th, 95mph from the S.W just east
1926 Sept 20th,120mph from the ESE Newspaper headline Pressure in Perdido key area 28.20 between 3 & 4 PM.
1932 Aug 31st 80mph from the S.E
1950 Aug 30th,Baker 85mph hits from the south ,gusts to 115mph
1956 Sept 24th, 100mph (hurdat) Hurricane Flossy hits from the WSW.
1979 sept 12th frederic passed 26 miles to the west with 130mph winds from the SSE, area hit hard. Newspaper headline | Beach damage
1985 Sept 2nd Elena passes just south with 120mph winds moving WNW after making several odd movements (minor damage) Wind map
1995 Aug 3rd,Erin from the ese with 85mph winds most of damage was in fl panhandle,
1995 Oct 4th,120mph Opal passed just east & devestates areas in Fla panhandle. av model error
1997 July 19th,hurricane Danny 75mph slow moving in from the WSW dumps 25 inches of rain here. NHC Danny report | Message board eyewitness report
2004 ,sept 16th very early morning,Hurricane Ivan direct hit with 130mph winds moving NNE over Eastern Alabama with Ivan having a wind field approx 85 miles out with an eye of approx 40 miles.Heavy beach damage, Several condos fell into ocean damage in Billions.Storm up to 12 ft in this area.Unofficial gust of 110mph.Ivan radar at landfall | Ivan wind swath map | USGS surge info
2005 July 10th Hurricane Dennis passes approx 40 miles to the east with 120mph winds while moving North. radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2020 September 16th hurricane Sally eye passes directly over while moving N.E with 110mph winds.Entire system slow moving takes 10 hrs for core to pass through. Our coverage as it happened watch 39min | Radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | We were there covering it | NHC report



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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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