Sable Island, Nova Scotia's History with Tropical Systems (within 80 miles to west & 60 miles to east of island)

Current Weather | Sable Island 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) Unless "extreme", extratropical systems will not be noted. "?" indicates unknown at landfall.

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

Years affected

1873
1874
1874xtrophbr
1877ts
1878-2
1879br
1879ts
1880extratropst
1880ts
1883br
1884br
1886tsbr
1886br
1887brm
1891br
1891ts
1892xtropst
1893br
1893
1895ts
1897xtropstbr
1898xtsbr
1903xtopst
1908xtropst
1908br
1919ts
1923
1924xtrophbr
1932extratroph
1933xtrophbr
1933xtropstbr
1935ts
1936
1937xtropst
1943tsbr
1945xtropst
1948xtropstbr
1949xtropst
1950xtropstbr
1950br
1953tsbr
1953xtropstbr
1955xtropst
1958xtropstbr
1958
1959
1960ts
1962xtropst
1964xtropstbr
1964
1966br
1969
1973ts
1973subtsbr
1974subts
1974ts
1977
1978brm
1979subts
1982subts
1984ts
1985ts
1989
1990
1995-2tsbr
1998tsbr
1999br
2002br
2006tsbr
2007tsbr
2008ts
2009br
2018tsbr
2019xtrophbr
2020xtropst
2020br
2021br
2022xtroph
2023xtsbr
2025br not in stats

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

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

Dog
George
Barbara
Hilda
Helene
Becky
Cleo
Dora
Gladys
Celia
Blanch
Alice
Gilda
Dolly
Evelyn
Ella
David
Diana
Ana
Dean
Bertha
Barry
Felix
Bonnie
Irene
Gustav
Chantal
Cristobal
Bill
Chris
Dorian
Teddy
Epsilon
Larry
Fiona
Lee
Erin

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 45, 55.56%
H = 36, 44.44%

only 2.70% of all tropical systems affecting Sable Island are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

10 years 1908-1919

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.89 years

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

Once every 9.56 years. (16 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

No data (0 hits)

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

85 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Brushed in 2025

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

Last affected by

2025 Aug 22nd hurricane Erin becomes post tropical with 90mph winds while brushing south by 240 miles.

This area's hurricane history

1873 a large a powerful hurricane with 105 mph winds passes by on August 24th from the west-southwest. This was a deadly hurricane killing over 500 in Nova scotia even though it passes far south of Nova Scotia mainland.
1874 a hurricane hits with 80 mph winds while moving northeast September 6th
1878 August 19th, 90 mph from the south
1878 October 13th, 80 mph from the west-southwest
1893 August 17th a 95 mph from the southwest
1923 October 1st, 85 mph from the south-southwest
1932 September 10th extratropical system hits with 80 mph winds from the west-southwest
1936 September 19th a 85 mph hurricane hits while moving east-northeast
1958 September 29th Hurricane Helene hits from the southwest with 75 mph winds. NHC Wallet
1959 June 19th, 80 mph from the southwest
1964 September 24th, 80 mph from the southwest (HURDAT2)
1969 August 12th a 75 mph Hurricane Blanch hits direct from the west-southwest. NHC Wallet
1977 October 15th, Hurricane Evelyn hits direct with 80 mph winds from the south-southwest. NHC Wallet
1989 August 8th Hurricane Dean hits direct with 85 mph winds from the south-southwest. NHC Wallet
1990 August 1st Hurricane Bertha hits direct with 80 mph winds from the south. NHC Wallet
2022 September 23rd Hurricane Fiona becomes post tropical while passes just west by 34 miles with 110 mph winds. Hit map | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)

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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......