(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). Years within or near core 1872ts,1873bdtsbr,1874bdbr,1876,1877bdxtropstbr,1878tsbr,1878,1879m,1880,1881,1882tsbr,1882br,1883,1885bd,1887-2brm,1888ts,1893bdts,1893,1894-2tsbd,1897tsbr,1899,1901ts, 1904tsbr,1906br,1907xtropts,1908,1910xtroptsbr,1910ts,1913-2tsbr,1916bdts,1916ts,1918tsbr,1920,1925xtropstbr,1928bdts,1934ts,1935bdtsbr,1944,1945ts,1946ts,1949ts(hurdat), 1954m,1955br,1955brm,1955,1958m,1960bdts,1960,1961ts,1962tsbr,1963br,1964bdts,1968br,1971-2tsbr,1981ts,1982subtropst,1984m,1985bdts,1986tsbr,1989brm,1995xtropstbd,1996ts,1996-2, 1996xtropst,1998m,1998xtropstbd,1999-2br,1999,2004,2005,2006ts,2007xtropst,2008ts,2011br,2013bdtsbr,2014br,2015ts,2016bdts,2016br,2018 ,2018bdtsbr,2019br,2020,2021bdtsbr,2022ts,2023bdtsbr,2023ts,(2024ts not in stats) 93
times in 152 yrs end of 2023
Names
from list
above Hazel,Connie,Diane,Ione,Helene,Brenda,Donna,Alma,Ginny,Dora,Gladys,Doria,Ginger,Dennis,Diana,Kate,Charley,Hugo,Allison,Arthur,Bertha,Fran,Josephine,Bonnie,Earl,Dennis, Floyd,Irene,Charley,Ophelia,Ernesto,Barry,Hanna,Irene,Andrea,Arthur,Ana,Hermine,Matthew,Florence,Michael,Dorian,Isaias,Elsa,Ian,Idalia,Ophelia,Debby,
Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio TS=52, 55.91% H=41, 44.09%
Longest gap between storms 9 years 1972-1980
How often this area gets
affected? brushed or hit every 1.63 years
Average years between direct hurricane hits.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours) (25h)once every 6.08 years State stats
Average years between major hurricane hits.(5) ev 30.4 years
Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts) 97mph
Statistically when this area should be affected
next impacted in 2024
This is just a statistical average &
does not mean the area will be affected by that year
Last affected by 2024 Aug 8th tropical storm Debby passes well to the SW with 40mph winds at closest approach.
This areas hurricane
past 1876 sept 17th 90mph just east while moving north 1878 Oct 22nd,105mph to the east from the south 1879 aug 18th a hurricane hits just east from the south with 115mph winds. 1880 Sept 9th just east with 80mph winds from the SW. 1881 Sept 9th ,105mph from the S.E 1883 sept 11th,85mph from the south nearly 100 killed. 1885 a back door hurricane hits with 90mph winds aug 25th from the WSW 1893 Oct 13th,95mph to the west from the south 1899 Oct 31st,100mph to the west from the south 1908 July 31st,80mph to the east from the south. 1920 Sept 22nd,75mph from the SSE 1944 Aug 1st ,75mph rep in Oak Island. 1954 hurricane Hazel oct 15th ,140mph(Hurdat) just west from the south. 8.2ft storm
surge,even well inland up in Baltimore a 6 ft tide was reported ,Washington D.C 100mph.The winds & tides caused great destruction.The weather bureau at Wilmington N.C recorded a sustained 5 minute wind of 61mph with the fastest at 82mph & a gust to 98mph. The lowest pressure was 28.68 inches.The loss of homes in the carolinas was 1,635 homes destroyed and 16,655 damaged.Newspaper headlines | Hurricane Hazel page 1955 Hurricane Diane hits with 75mph winds Aug 17th (hurdat) while weakening to a tropical storm. 1958 Sept 27th hurricane Helene ,125mph (hurdat)from the S.E while turing N.E gusts to 135mph NNE mostly stayed offshore .Heavy damage reported at beach resorts.North winds of 85mph on the 27th at 1:01PM. Rainfall 8.29 inch tides 9ft.NHC notes | newspaper clip 1960 hurricane Donna just offshore sept 11th from the SSW with 110mph winds causing moderate damage here as peak winds were 97mph. more here
1984 sept 11th Hurricane Diana 120mph just east from the SSW before looping fully onshore as a cat 2. wind map | Newspaper article #1 | Newspaper article #2 | Newspaper article #3
1996
hurricane Bertha 105mph press 28.85 july 12th from the south. Richard Hordner surf city | Newspaper article | Radar | NHC final report 1996
hurricane Fran hits sept 5th with 105mph winds from the SSE most higher winds were to the north in Top sail beach.press 28.23 area had gusts to
105mph heavy damage to north in topsail bch area & surf city over 1 billion
dollars damage 23 killed storm surge approx 16ft. Jim Leonard in Carolina beach | Newspaper headline | #2 | satelite image | Damage in Topsail | av model error | NHC final report | USGS surge info 1998 hurricane Bonnie august
26th ,115mph from the south while turning N.E,press 28.48 moderate damage. NHC final report | USGS surge info
1999 sept 16th Hurricane Floyd hit just east with 110mph winds from the south,dumps nearly 20 inches of rain here & causes heavy damage to north on oak island.New Hanover county reported 10 ft storm surge on sound side of Masonboro.A record 13.38 invhes fell in 24 hrs. Jim Leonard in Wilmington | NHC final report
2004 August 14th Hurricane Charley hits with 75mph winds from the SSW after hitting Florida, Minor structural damage.NHC final report
2005 Sept 14th Hurricane Ophelia passes just east with 85mph winds from the south,western eyewall over wilmington for a couple of hours. Widespread power outages & some minor roof damage & trees down. radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Ophelia Satellite image "Wind damage caused by tropical storms and hurricanes can down the trees around your property. NHC final report
2018 Sept 14th,Hurricane Florence hits with 90mph winds while moving very slowly causing massive flooding killing 15 people in N Carolina. Wilmington gust to 105mph ,962MB up to 6 ft storm surge ,between 20 & 30 inches of rain.Best track data with final model error | River flooding maps | NOAA team looks at damage | Short range radar at landfall(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Our coverage as it happened
2020 Aug 4th Hurricane Isaias passes 20 miles to the west while moving NNE with 85mph winds . radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Hit map
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Text Sources:The Major Hurricanes to affect the Bahamas Wayne Neely.....Hurricane Watch Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams.....Inside the Hurricane Pete Davies.....The Ship & the Storm Jim Carrier.....Lunatic Wind William Price Fox...Sudden Sea R.A Scotti.....Hurricane Almanac Bryan Norcross.....Divine Wind Kerry Emanuel.....Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes.....Stormscaping Pamela Crawford.....Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States Rick Scwartz..... Killer Cane Robert Mykle..... Isaac's Storm Erik Larson.....Florida Hurricanes & Tropical Storms John M. Williams & Iver W.Duedall.....Path of destruction John McQuaid & Mark Schleifstein.....Sun sentinel newspaper(microfilm).....Miami Herald newspaper(microfilm).....NOAA research division.....hurricanecity.com (calculations) Jim Williams.....plus many more.............
