Pascagoula, Mississippi'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)

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

Years within or near core

1872ts
1877br
1879tsbr
1881ts
1882brm
1885ts
1885tsbr
1887-2ts
1889ts
1892ts
1893tsbr
1893
1894tsbr
1895ts
1900ts
1901
1902tsbr
1906
1907ts
1911ts
1912bdtsbr
1912
1914tsbd
1916m
1916br
1917brm
1923-2ts
1926
1932
1932tsbr
1934tsbr
1939ts
1944ts
1947ts
1947br
1948tsbr
1950br
1955tsbr
1955ts
1956br
1959tsbr
1960 (HURDAT)
1964xtropstbd
1969m
1979m
1985m
1985tsbr
1995brm
1997
1998
2002ts
2004m
2005ts
2005m
2009ts
2017ts
2017
2018ts
2020ts
2020-2br
2021ts
2021mbr
2024bdtsbr

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

Names from list above (C and I storms most likely to impact the area)

Baker
Brenda
Flossy
Irene
Ethel
Hilda
Camille
Frederic
Elena
Juan
Opal
Danny
Georges
Hanna
Ivan
Cindy
Katrina
Ida
Cindy
Nate
Gordon
Cristobal
Sally
Zeta
Claudette
Ida
Francine

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 39, 59.09%
H = 27, 40.91%

only 15.38% of all tropical systems affecting Pascagoula are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1970-1978 & 1986-1994

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.35 years

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

Once every 9.56 years. (16 hits) State stats

Average years between direct major hurricane hits. (major hurricane in advisory upon passage)

Once every 25.5 years. (6 hits)

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

105 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

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

Last affected by

2024 September 12th Tropical Storm Francine brushes well to the west by 85 miles while moving away to the northwest with 45 mph winds.

This area's hurricane history

1893, 95 mph October 2nd causes heavy damage, bodies washed ashore up to 1 month after hurricane hit from the southwest
1901 July 11th Category 1 85 mph from the south-southwest.
1906 a hurricane with 110 mph winds hits September 27 causing a 10 ft storm surge gusts to 130 mph winds from the south-southeast. Quarantine station on Ship Island was devastated and lives lost. The storm ate one mile off east end of Horn Island, swallowing lighthouse and drowning keeper.
1912 September 14th 75 mph from the south-southeast
1916 July 5th a hurricane batters the area for 16 hours killing 10, 120 mph winds.Lowest pressure at landfall was 961 mb (peripheral pressure) observed at Fort Morgan, Alabama around 20 UTC. Highest observed winds were 93 knots from Mobile around 20 UTC. This wind reduces to 76 knots true after accounting for the high bias of the instrument of the era.
1926 September 21st 110 mph passes just south from the east-southeast with a pressure of 28.99 inHg.
1932 September 1st 80 mph from the southeast
1960 September 15th a cat one Ethel with 80 mph winds (HURDAT) weakens while moving in. NHC Wallet
1969 August 18th from the south-southeast Hurricane Camille just west as a category 5, 175 mph gave this area sustained category 1 winds (HURDAT) causes a 13 ft storm surge in Pascagoula heavy damage 137 killed along the coast. Damage photo | Camille headlines from New York | Surge reports | Advisory showing winds & size before landfall | Newspaper headline | Surge animation | Reanalysis of Camille | USGS surge info.
1979 Hurricane Frederic hits with 130 mph winds September 12th, ship island cut in half. Newspaper headline
1985 Hurricane Elena just south 115 mph from the east-southeast September 2nd. Reports have car windows shattering from quick drop in barometeric pressure. Highest storm surge was estimated around 10 feet in the Pascagoula, MS area. Lowest sea level pressure was 951 mb. The eye of the hurricane was about 20 miles in diameter at landfall. Several shopping centers along Route 90 in Pascagoula had masonry wall failures and roofs collapsed. Pascagoula, 5:00 am September 2nd 92 mph 115 mph - Mississippi, Chevron Wind map | Newspaper headlines
1997 July 19th, Hurricane Danny passes to the southeast while moving slowly northeast into Alabama with 75 mph winds dumping heavy rain. NHC Report
1998 September 28th Hurricane Georges direct 105 mph from the southeast moderate damage damage to signs, windows, some roof damage, heavy flooding from storm surge & rainfall. Hurricane intercept as it happened | See sat here | USGS surge info
2004, September 16th very early morning, Hurricane Ivan just East by 50 miles with 130 mph winds moving north-northeast over Eastern Alabama with Ivan having a wind field approximately 85 miles out.Light to Moderate damage here from North & northwest winds. 86 mph gust unofficial.| Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) NHC Report
2005 August 29th Hurricane Katrina hits just west with 125 winds 55 miles to west.Surge accompanies this hurricane with 12.16 ft surge & kills well over 200 on the Mississippi coast.Gusts reported to 125 mph in Pascagoula at the Jackson county EOC. Surge image from Pascagoula | Radar animation | Newspaper article about winds | Jim Williams from HurricaneCity.com predicts a hurricane hit for this area on June 1st 2005. | Color enhanced satellite vapor image | Pascagoula surge info
2017 October 8th Hurricane Nate center passes just west with 75 mph winds 984 mb while moving quickly North several ft of surge reported at high tide, highest gust to 81 mph confined to the coast. USGS surge info | Our coverage as it happened | 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......