Hurricane season is upon us once again, and experts predict an above-average number of storms this year. In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts 14 to 21 named storms, with 6 to 10 potentially becoming hurricanes.1
As we brace for the potential impact, it’s worth looking back at some of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history.
1. Hurricane Charley (2004)
Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on August 13, 2004.
With maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, Charley caused widespread damage across the state, particularly in the Charlotte County area. The hurricane resulted in 10 direct fatalities and an estimated $16.9 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation).
2. Hurricane Irene (2011)
Irene, the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Ike in 2008, struck the East Coast as a Category 1 storm on August 27, 2011.
The hurricane caused extensive flooding and wind damage from North Carolina to New England, leading to 41 direct fatalities and around $16.6 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation).
3. Hurricane Wilma (2005)
The most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, Wilma made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm on October 24, 2005. With maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, Wilma caused widespread damage across the state, particularly in the Florida Keys and the Miami metropolitan area.
The hurricane resulted in 5 direct fatalities in the U.S. and an estimated $27.4 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation).
4. Hurricane Ike (2008)
Ike made landfall in Texas as a Category 2 storm on September 13, 2008. With a massive wind field extending up to 275 miles from its center, Ike caused extensive damage along the Gulf Coast, particularly in the Galveston and Houston areas.
The hurricane resulted in 21 direct fatalities and an estimated $36.9 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation).
5. Hurricane Michael (2018)
Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a catastrophic Category 5 storm on October 10, 2018. With maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, Michael was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the contiguous U.S. since Andrew in 1992.
6. Hurricane Andrew (1992)
Andrew made landfall in Florida as a Category 5 storm on August 24, 1992. With maximum sustained winds of 165 mph, Andrew was, at the time, the most intense hurricane to strike the U.S. since Camille in 1969.
The hurricane caused catastrophic damage in South Florida and resulted in 15 direct fatalities and an estimated $50.5 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation).
7. Hurricane Ida (2021)
Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm on August 29, 2021, exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina. With maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, Ida tied with Laura (2020) and the Last Island Hurricane (1856) as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in Louisiana.
8. 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane
The Okeechobee Hurricane made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 16, 1928. With maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, the hurricane caused catastrophic damage across the state, particularly in the Lake Okeechobee area.
The storm surge from the lake led to the breach of a dike, inundating the surrounding communities and resulting in an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 fatalities, making it the second-deadliest hurricane in U.S. history.
9. Hurricane Sandy (2012)
Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey, as a post-tropical cyclone on October 29, 2012. Despite its relatively low intensity at landfall, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, Sandy’s immense size and unusual track led to catastrophic impacts across the Northeast.
The storm caused record-breaking storm surges in New York and New Jersey, resulting in 72 direct fatalities and an estimated $65 billion in damage.
10. 1926 Miami Hurricane
The 1926 Miami Hurricane made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 18, 1926. With maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, the hurricane caused widespread destruction across South Florida, particularly in the Miami area.
The storm resulted in an estimated 372 fatalities and, at the time, was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, with damage estimated at $105 million (equivalent to approximately $1.7 billion today).
11. Hurricane Maria (2017)
Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm on September 20, 2017. With maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, Maria was the strongest hurricane to strike the island since the San Felipe Segundo Hurricane in 1928.
12. Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Katrina made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 3 storm on August 29, 2005.
Despite its relatively low intensity at landfall, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, Katrina’s massive size and the failure of the levee system in New Orleans led to catastrophic flooding across the city. The hurricane resulted in 1,833 fatalities and an estimated $125 billion in damage, making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
13. 1900 Galveston Hurricane
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. The storm made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane on September 8, 1900, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph.
The hurricane caused a massive storm surge that inundated the low-lying island city of Galveston, resulting in an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 fatalities.
The devastation wrought by the 1900 Galveston Hurricane serves as a stark reminder of the power and destructive potential of these massive storms.
Source:
1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.
