Morgan City, Louisiana's 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)

Morgan City most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 7th and September 13th

Years within or near core

1877br
1879m
1882tsbr
1886brm
1887br
1888
1890ts
1892tsbr
1893
1893brm
1897
1898tsbr
1905tsbr
1905ts
1908ts
1909m
1912ts
1915m
1920
1923tsbr
1923
1926
1931ts
1932ts
1934ts
1937ts
1940br
1944ts
1946tsbr
1947bdbr
1948ts
1949tsbr
1956ts
1957ts
1959ts
1964m
1965
1970tsbr
1974m
1977
1979br
1985br
1985
1992m
1998tsbr
2002tsbr
2002brm
2003ts
2004ts
2008
2011ts
2012
2017ts
2019br
2020tsbr
2020brm
2020br
2020br
2021ts
2021mbr
2024

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

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

Esther
Arlene
Hilda
Betsy
Felice
Carmen
Babe
Bob
Danny
Juan
Andrew
Hermine
Isidore
Lili
Bill
Matthew
Gustav
Lee
Isaac
Cindy
Barry
Cristobal
Laura
Delta
Zeta
Claudette
Ida
Francine

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 29, 47.54%
H = 32, 52.46%

only 18.33% of all tropical systems affecting Morgan City are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

6 years 1899-1904/1950-1955/1986-1991

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.51 years

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

Once every 8.05 years. (19 hits) State stats (older site)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 25.5 years. (6 hits)

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

102 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 September 11th Hurricane Francine hits with 95 mph winds at closest approach while moving northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1879 September 1st, 125 mph just west from the south 28.70 110 mph 9 ft. storm surge, 1 killed.
1888 August 19th, 90 mph at closest approach from the south just east by 18 miles very heavy flooding, several buildings destroyed. Hit map.
1893 September 7th, 95 mph from the southwest causes heavy rain here.
1897 September 12th, 85 mph from the east-southeast just south
1909, September 20th, 120 mph from the south 350 killed pressure 28.68, a 16 ft storm surge.
1915 September 29th 125 mph category 3, 60 miles east from the south..
1920 September 21st, 105 mph from the south, 6ft storm surge barometer 28.99.
1923 October 16th, 95 mph from the south, pressure 29.25 & a 4 ft storm surge
1926 August 26th 90 mph from the south 28.31 bar, 25 killed in louisiana, 60 mph sustained in morgan city gusts to 100 mph.
1964 October 2nd Hurricane Hilda 130 mph winds from the south, pressure 28.40, 24 killed by a tornado in Lafourche another 6 killed when a tower fell on city hall. Hundreds injured & 40 homes ripped to pieces by tornadoes. Newspaper clip
1965 September 10 th Hurricane Betsy just east of here with 105 mph winds from the southeast causes moderate to heavy damage, very heavy rains. Betsy page
1974 Hurricane Carmen hits with 150 mph winds on September 8th from the south-southeast.
1977 September 5th, 75 mph Hurricane babe from the south. NHC Wallet
1979 July 11th Bob 75 mph weakens to T.S moving north. NHC Wallet
1985 October 29th Juan 80 mph weakens to T.S from the south. NHC Wallet
1992 August 26th, Andrew just west as a category 3 heavy damage to area Andrew 130 mph from the southeast, at approach to land a surge of 9.3 ft was reported in the town of cocodrie on the gulf, to 3.3 feet at the Houma Navigation Canal 23 miles to the north. | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Newspaper headline | Average model error | More on Hurricane Andrew here.
2008, September 1st Hurricane Gustav passes over with 95 mph winds while moving northwest. Moderate damage reported. Hurricane Warning Show | Radar animation | Final report by NHC | USGS surge info
2012 August 29th Hurricane Isaac hits from the south with 75 mph winds while moving slowly north-northwest causing overall minor damage here. Isaac model history | Radar at landfall | Our coverage as it happened
2024 September 11th Hurricane Francine hits with 95 mph winds at closest approach while moving northeast our coverage as it moved onshore | NHC Report

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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......