Long 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)

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

Years near or within core winds

1871
1874tsbr
1877ts
1879
1882
1883br
1884
1885tsbr
1887-2ts
1888
1888m
1889tsbr
1891
1893brm
1899m
1900ts
1901ts
1903ts
1906ts
1908m
1919
1921ts
1923
1926-2m
1928ts
1928m
1931ts
1932ts
1932-2m
1933br
1933brm
1933m
1934ts
1935ts
1937ts
1938ts
1939-2tsbr
1941br
1941ts
1942tsbr
1942ts
1945m
1946ts
1949
1952
1956brm
1956ts
1960m
1973tsbr
1981tsbr
1981ts
1994ts
1995
1996br
1996
1999brm
2004brm
2005ts
2011
2012
2015m
2016brm
2017brm
2020br
2024tsbr

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

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

Fox
Betsy
Carla
Donna
Gilda
Gert
Katrina
Gordon
Erin
Bertha
Lili
Floyd
Frances
Rita
Irene
Sandy
Joaquin
Matthew
Irma
Isaias
Oscar

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 31, 44.93%
H = 38, 55.07%

26.87% of all tropical systems affecting Long Island are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

12 years 1960-1973 & 1981-1994

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.22 years

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

Once every 5.88 years. (26 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 12.75 years. (12 hits)

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

109 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2027

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2024 October 22nd Tropical Storm Oscar brushes to the southeast with 40 mph winds.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 23rd, 105 mph just north from the east-southeast
1879 August 16th, 90 mph from the southeast just northeast of here
1882 September 4th, 90 mph just south from the East
1884 October 11th, 80 mph from the south
1888 August 15th, 80 mph from the east-southeast
1888 September 3rd, 120 mph from the east-southeast passes to the south. Hit map
1891 August 22nd, 95 mph from the east-southeast
1899 August 11th, 120 mph from the east-southeast just south
1908 September 12th, 115 mph from the southeast Book reference page 370
1919 September 7th, 110 mph from the east-southeast.
1923 September 25th, 85 mph from the south-southeast passes just northeast.
1926 July 26th 140 mph directly over island from the southeast. Many homes destroyed & bridges knocked out.
1926 September 17th, 150 mph from the east-southeast.
1928 September 15th a Hurricane with 155 mph winds passes over from the east-southeast.
1932 September 4th, 145 mph to the north from the east-southeast.
1932 The major Hurricane that killed thousands in Cuba hits just northwest of here with 125 mph winds (HURDAT) on November 11th on the way out to sea,�The Commissioner at Clarence Town telegraphed on Thursday that a severe hurricane had passed over Long Island between 9p.m. on Wednesday [the 9th] and 7a.m. on Thursday [the 10th], the wind, which was from the southeast, blowing hardest between 10 and 11 o�clock. The lowest barometer reading at 2a.m. Thursday 28.23 [956 mb]. At about 3.15 the wind change and blew from south-west. Many kitchen and barns were blown down and a number of houses were damaged.
1933 August 31st, 155 mph to the south from the east-southeast passes just south by 43 miles.
1945 September 14th, 120 mph just south from the east-southeast.
1949 August 25th, 95 mph from the east-southeast just north.
1952 October 26th Hurricane Fox passes to north with 110 mph from the west.
1960 September 8th Hurricane Donna passes just south from the east with 120 mph winds (HURDAT) causing heavy damage in the central bahamas. More here
1995 August 1st, Hurricane Erin north side with 75 mph from the south-southeast. NHC report
1996 October 19th, Hurricane Lili hits just north with 105 mph winds from the west-southwest, area had sustained winds of 80 mph for 2 hours. Some structural damage reported. NHC report
2011 August 24th, Hurricane Irene hits while moving west-northwest with 110 mph winds causing moderate damage. Irene model history | Our coverage as it happened
2012 October 25th, Hurricane Sandy hits from the south while moving north with 105 mph winds. Sandy model history
2015 October 2nd Hurricane Joaquin hits the island while turning north with 130 mph winds. Power outage due to downed lines; flooding of private fresh water wells; structural damages to homes; extreme flooding of approximately 4 feet of water in the northern part of the island. Police station evacuated because of flooding. NHC final report | Wind bar graph | Satellite shot

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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......