Myrtle Beach, South Carolina's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Myrtle Beach Major Hurricane History Video

(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)

Myrtle beach most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 14th and September 20th

Years within or near core

1871tsbr
1872ts
1873bdtsbr
1874bd
1876br
1877bdtsbr
1878tsbr
1879brm
1880br
1881
1882ts
1883
1885bd
1886bdtsbr
1888tsbr
1893bdts
1893m
1894-2bdts
1896bdbr
1897tsbr
1899
1901ts
1901bdts
1904
1906
1907bdts
1908br
1910ts
1913
1916bdts
1916
1920br
1924bdts
1924bdxtropst
1928bdts
1934ts
1941bdtsbr
1944
1944bdts
1945tsbr
1946ts
1954m
1955tsbr
1958
1959tsbr
1960bdts
1960br
1964bdts
1981ts
1982subts
1984m
1985bdts
1989m
1995xtropstbrbd
1996br
1996m
1996extropst
1998brm
1998xtropstbd
1999
1999br
2002ts
2004
2004ts
2005br
2006tsbr
2008ts
2013bdts
2014br
2015ts
2016bdts
2016
2018ts
2018bdtsbr
2019br
2020br
2021bdtsbr
2022ts
2022
2023bdts
2023bdtsbr
2024ts
2024bdtsbr
(2025ts not in stats)

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

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

Hazel
Diane
Helene
Cindy
Donna
Dora
Dennis
Diana
Kate
Hugo
Allison
Bertha
Fran
Josephine
Bonnie
Floyd
Earl
Irene
Kyle
Charley
Gaston
Ophelia
Ernesto
Hanna
Andrea
Arthur
Ana
Hermine
Matthew
Florence
Michael
Dorian
Isaias
Elsa
Colin
Ian
Idalia
Ophelia
Debby
Helene
Chantal

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 50, 59.52%
H = 34, 40.48%

only 10.96% of all tropical systems affecting Myrtle beach are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

16 years 1965-1980

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.82 years

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

Once every 7.65 years. (20 hits) State stats

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)

96 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

impacted in 2025

Last affected by

2025 Tropical Storm Chantal hits with 60 mph winds while moving northwest on July 6th.

This area's hurricane history

1874 September 29th 75 mph winds while moving north-northeast.
1881 September 9th, 105 mph from the southeast passes just north.
1883 September 11th 105 mph just east coming from the south.
1885 a back door hurricane hits with 90 mph winds on August 25th from the southwest.
1893 October 13th 115 mph from the south-southwest. Hit map
1899 October 31st 95 mph from the south
1904 September 14th, 75 mph weakening to T-Storm from the south-southeast.
1906 September 17th, 90 mph direct pressure 27.90 inHg, heavy damage to area, from the east-southeast.
1913 October 8th just south 75 mph weakening to T-Storm from the east.
1916 July 14th just south with 80 mph winds from the southeast.
1944 August 1st just east with 75 mph while weakening to T-storm from south.
1954 October 15th Hazel hits and gives this area winds of 130 mph per (HURDAT), while rapidly moving north at 25 to 30 mph. This sytem downed many trees in the area allowing developers to build golf courses in the now famous golfing area. Lowest pressure was 28.47 inHg upon eye passage. Newspaper headlines | Hurricane Hazel page
1958 September 27th Hurricane Helene passes just east with 90 mph winds (HURDAT) from the southeast while turning northeast
1984 September 11th Hurricane Diana hits just east from the south-southwest with 125 mph winds.
1989 September 22nd, Hugo 50 miles to south with 140 mph winds. Area still got flooded by storm tides. Suprising damage on beaches despite Hugo's path well to the south from the southeast. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) more on Hurricane Hugo here | Surge animation | Dr Ted Fujita wind map |
1996 September 5th, Hurricane Fran 115 mph to the north from the south-southeast
1999 September 16th Hurricane Floyd with 110 mph winds approximately 45 miles to the east from the south-southwest.
2004 August 14th, Hurricane Charley just offshore with 75 mph winds moving quickly to the north-northeast.Roof damage to a motel and many trees down.
2016 October 8th Hurricane Matthew hits with 75 mph winds while moving northeast along the coast, three deaths in S.C. wide spread coastal flooding. The combination of storm surge and wave action tore away 900 ft of the 1,000 foot Springmaid Pier in Myrtle Beach, according to city officials, leaving splintered, weather-beaten boards scattered across the beach where the pier once stood. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Best models | Matthew timeline | NHC final report | USGS surge info
2022 September 30th Hurricane Ian comes on shore from the south just west with 80 mph winds. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | 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......