List of notable tropical cyclones
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability.
North Atlantic basin
Retired names
Hurricane names are retired due to the notoriety of the storm to which they are attached (after a nation impacted by the storm lobbies the World Meteorological Organization). See naming of tropical cyclones.
The background color behind the name indicates its strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale at its strongest landfall.
Tropical depression | Tropical storm | Category 1 hurricane | Category 2 hurricane | Category 3 hurricane | Category 4 hurricane | Category 5 hurricane |
See also Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes.
Name | Year | Location | Deaths | Damage (2005 $US) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carol | 1954 | New England | 60 | $4.1 billion |
Edna | 1954 | New England | 20 | $250 million |
Hazel | 1954 | Haiti, South Carolina northward to Ontario | 600 - 1,200 | $3-5 billion |
Connie | 1955 | North Carolina | ? | Extensive flooding, $3.3 billion |
Diane | 1955 | North Carolina | 200 | $7 billion |
Ione | 1955 | North Carolina | 7 | $600 million |
Janet | 1955 | Grenada and Belize | 500+ | $320 million |
Audrey | 1957 | Texas and Louisiana | 390+ | $1 billion |
Gracie | 1959 | South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia | 22 | $90 million |
Donna | 1960 | Impacted every U.S. state on the east coast | 364 | $3.3 billion |
Carla | 1961 | Texas (as far inland as Dallas) | 46 | $2.4 billion |
Hattie | 1961 | British Honduras | 400 | Destroyed Belize City; $370 million |
Flora | 1963 | Haiti and Cuba | 7,193 | $3.2 billion |
Cleo | 1964 | Guadeloupe and Hispaniola; Miami, Florida | 217 in the Caribbean and US | $1.2 billion |
Dora | 1964 | Jacksonville, Florida | 1 | $2 billion. First-ever hurricane to hit the First Coast of Florida. |
Hilda | 1964 | New Orleans, Louisiana | 38 | $750 million |
Betsy | 1965 | Louisiana | 76 | $10-12 billion |
Inez | 1966 | Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and Mexico | 990 official, 1,000+ estimated | $1.2 billion |
Beulah | 1967 | Texas | 59 | Dropped almost 30 inches of rain on Beeville, Texas, $1.2 billion |
Camille | 1969 | U.S. Gulf Coast | 256 | Obliterated the Mississippi coast, $9.2 billion |
Celia | 1970 | Corpus Christi, Texas | 16 | $2.3 billion |
Agnes | 1972 | United States | 122 | $12 billion |
Carmen | 1974 | United States | 4 | $620 million |
Fifi | 1974 | Honduras | 6,000+ | $20 billion |
Eloise | 1975 | Hispaniola to Florida and northwards | 80 | $2.1 billion |
Anita | 1977 | Struck Mexico near the Texas border | 10 | ? |
David | 1979 | Dominican Republic and Dominica | 2,068+ | $900 million+ |
Frederic | 1979 | U.S. Gulf coast | 5 | $4-8 billion |
Allen | 1980 | Caribbean and South Texas | 236 | $2.6 billion |
Alicia | 1983 | Struck Galveston, Texas and Houston | 21 | $3.8 billion damage |
Elena | 1985 | Florida and Mississippi | 4 | $2.7 billion |
Gloria | 1985 | US Eastern Seaboard,New York's Long Island | 8 | $1.6 billion |
Gilbert | 1988 | Jamaica, Mexico | 318 | Second strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere; $7-9 billion |
Joan | 1988 | Nicaragua, Colombia; other countries | 216 | $2-3 billion |
Hugo | 1989 | Carolinas, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (locale of primary damage) | 49 | $15 billion |
Diana | 1990 | Mexico | 96 | ? |
Klaus | 1990 | Lesser Antilles, Georgia | 11 | Marco formed from the remnants of Klaus and burst a dam in Georgia; $110 million combined |
Bob | 1991 | New England; Canadian Maritimes | 18 | $2.8 billion |
Andrew | 1992 | south Florida, Louisiana | 62 | $45 billion — costliest American natural disaster prior to Katrina |
Luis | 1995 | St. Martin, Antigua, Barbuda, and the British Virgin Islands | 17 | $3.5 billion |
Marilyn | 1995 | St. Thomas | 8 | $2 billion |
Opal | 1995 | Guatemala, Mexico and the Florida Panhandle | 59 | $5 billion |
Roxanne | 1995 | Mexico | 14 | $2 billion |
Cesar | 1996 | Nicaragua, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela | 51 | Widespread flooding |
Fran | 1996 | Cape Fear, North Carolina | 34 | $4.6 billion |
Hortense | 1996 | Leeward Islands | 42 | heavy damage |
Georges | 1998 | Hispaniola, Mississippi | 602 | $7-9 billion |
Mitch | 1998 | Honduras and neighboring countries | 18,277 (9,086 confirmed, 9,191 missing: more than any storm in over 200 years) | $5 billion+ |
Floyd | 1999 | Eastern North Carolina; New Jersey | 77 in multiple states | $6 billion |
Lenny | 1999 | Lesser Antilles, Colombia | 17 | $330 million+ |
Keith | 2000 | Belize, Central America | 24 | $225 million |
Allison | 2001 | Texas | 41 | $5.5 billion - Extensive flooding; |
Iris | 2001 | Belize | 31-50 | $70 million+ |
Michelle | 2001 | Honduras, Belize, Cuba and Jamaica | 17 | ? |
Isidore | 2002 | Yucatan and the United States | 7 | $330 million |
Lili | 2002 | St. Vincent, Jamaica and Louisiana | 13 | $900 million |
Fabian | 2003 | Bermuda | 8 | $330 million+ |
Isabel | 2003 | Much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States | 50 | $3.6 billion |
Juan | 2003 | Atlantic Canada | 8 | First hurricane to hit the area in over 110 years; $300 million |
Charley | 2004 | Florida | 35 | $14 billion |
Frances | 2004 | Bahamas; central Florida | 49 | $9 billion |
Ivan | 2004 | Grenada; Cayman Islands; Jamaica and the eastern United States | 124 | $16-18 billion |
Jeanne | 2004 | Haiti, the Dominican Republic and central Florida | 3,037 (Haiti), 4 direct in US | $6.9 billion |
Retired names from 2005 season will be announced by the WMO in the spring of 2006. Never have more than four names been retired after a season, and for this season, that mark will almost certainly be tied or, more likely, broken.
Sources
Listed by death toll
This is a list of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes since records began in 1851. Katrina and Stan aren't yet added to this list because the official death tolls will be announced at the end of the hurricane season. Katrina's confirmed death toll in Louisiana and Mississippi alone as of the end of September 2005 had exceeded Hurricane Gordon, and Stan's confirmed death toll also passed that of Hurricane Gordon on October 11.
Deaths | Name | Year |
---|---|---|
9086 – 18,277 | Hurricane Mitch | 1998 |
8000 – 12,000 | Galveston Hurricane | 1900 |
8000 – 10,000 | Hurricane Fifi | 1974 |
2000 – 8000 | Dominican Republic Hurricane | 1930 |
7200 | Hurricane Flora | 1963 |
4075+ | Lake Okeechobee Hurricane | 1928 |
3433 | Hurricane San Ciriaco | 1899 |
2500 – 3107 | Cuba Hurricane of 1932 | 1932 |
3037 | Hurricane Jeanne | 2004 |
2000 – 3000 | Yucatan Hurricane of 1934 | 1934 |
1500 – 2500 | Belize Hurricane of 1931 | 1931 |
2150 | Caribbean Hurricane of 1935 | 1935 |
2060 | Hurricane David | 1979 |
2000 | Straits of Florida Hurricane | 1870 |
2000 | 'Chenier Caminada' Hurricane | 1893 |
1000 – 2000 | Sea Islands Hurricane | 1893 |
1500 | Mexico Hurricane | 1909 |
1145 | Hurricane Gordon | 1994 |
1000 | Hurricane Inez | 1966 |
600 – 1200 | Hurricane Hazel | 1954 |
Listed by cost (United States only)
There are several ways to express the monetary cost of a hurricane, by inflation adjusted cost, cost at the time, and cost if the hurricane were to strike today. [1][2]
Also, note Hurricane Katrina will very likely be at the top of these lists, with estimates ranging from $100 to $200 billion. Hurricane Wilma will likely appear near the top as well with insured estimates (generally considered to be half of the total damage) around $9 billion, and Hurricane Rita will likely appear in the middle, estimated at $8 billion; please refrain from adding them to this ranking.
Care should be taken not to confuse "economic impact" estimates (often used for modern hurricanes like Katrina) with damage costs; it is the latter that are included in this list (and in all hurricane articles).
Note that these charts are only based on damage in the US; the total in many of these storms is higher due to damage in the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico or Canada.
Listed by 2004 inflation adjusted cost
Cost (billions) |
Name | Year |
---|---|---|
$43.7 | Hurricane Andrew | 1992 |
$15.0 | Hurricane Charley | 2004 |
$14.2 | Hurricane Ivan | 2004 |
$12.3 | Hurricane Hugo | 1989 |
$11.3 | Hurricane Agnes | 1972 |
$10.8 | Hurricane Betsy | 1965 |
$8.9 | Hurricane Frances | 2004 |
$8.9 | Hurricane Camille | 1969 |
$7.0 | Hurricane Diane | 1955 |
$6.9 | Hurricane Jeanne | 2004 |
$6.3 | Hurricane Frederic | 1979 |
$6.0 | New England Hurricane of 1938 | 1938 |
$5.8 | Tropical Storm Allison | 2001 |
$5.8 | Hurricane Floyd | 1999 |
$5.4 | Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 | 1944 |
$4.5 | Hurricane Fran | 1996 |
$4.4 | Hurricane Alicia | 1983 |
$4.3 | Hurricane Opal | 1995 |
$3.9 | Hurricane Carol | 1954 |
$3.6 | Hurricane Isabel | 2003 |
$3.1 | Hurricane Juan | 1985 |
$3.0 | Hurricane Donna | 1960 |
$2.8 | Hurricane Celia | 1970 |
$2.6 | Hurricane Bob | 1991 |
$2.6 | Hurricane Elena | 1985 |
$2.4 | Hurricane Carla | 1961 |
$2.1 | Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 | 1926 |
$2.0 | Hurricane Eloise | 1975 |
$2.0 | Galveston Hurricane of 1915 | 1915 |
$2.0 | Hurricane Dora | 1964 |
Note that this does not include recent hurricanes such as Katrina. Damage is still being assessed and no definitive cost has been released.
Listed by cost at the time
Cost (billions) |
Name | Year |
---|---|---|
$26.5 | Hurricane Andrew | 1992 |
$15.0 | Hurricane Charley | 2004 |
$14.2 | Hurricane Ivan | 2004 |
$8.9 | Hurricane Frances | 2004 |
$7.0 | Hurricane Hugo | 1989 |
$6.9 | Hurricane Jeanne | 2004 |
$5.0 | Tropical Storm Allison | 2001 |
$4.5 | Hurricane Floyd | 1999 |
$3.37 | Hurricane Isabel | 2003 |
$3.2 | Hurricane Fran | 1996 |
$3.0 | Hurricane Opal | 1995 |
$2.3 | Hurricane Frederic | 1979 |
$2.1 | Hurricane Agnes | 1972 |
$2.0 | Hurricane Alicia | 1983 |
$1.5 | Hurricane Bob | 1991 |
$1.5 | Hurricane Juan | 1985 |
$1.42 | Hurricane Camille | 1969 |
$1.42 | Hurricane Betsy | 1965 |
$1.25 | Hurricane Elena | 1985 |
$1.155 | Hurricane Georges | 1998 |
$0.9 | Hurricane Gloria | 1985 |
$0.86 | Hurricane Lili | 2002 |
$0.83 | Hurricane Diane | 1955 |
$0.72 | Hurricane Bonnie | 1998 |
$0.70 | Hurricane Erin | 1995 |
$0.50 | Tropical Storm Allison | 1989 |
$0.50 | Tropical Storm Alberto | 1994 |
$0.50 | Tropical Storm Frances | 1998 |
$0.49 | Hurricane Eloise | 1975 |
$0.46 | Hurricane Carol | 1954 |
Listed by wealth normalization for 2003
This list adjusted for 2003 inflation and wealth normalization, which is basically an estimation of what the hurricane would cost if it struck today. Estimates have been made for hurricanes that occured after 2003. Source: NOAA.
Cost (billions) |
Name | Year |
---|---|---|
$98.0 | Great Miami Hurricane | 1926 |
$44.9 | Hurricane Andrew | 1992 |
$36.1 | Galveston Hurricane of 1900 | 1900 |
$30.6 | Galveston Hurricane of 1915 | 1915 |
$22.1 | South Florida Hurricane of 1944 | 1944 |
$22.5 | New England Hurricane of 1938 | 1938 |
$18.7 | Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 | 1928 |
$16.9 | Hurricane Betsy | 1965 |
$16.3 | Hurricane Donna | 1960 |
$15.0 | Hurricane Charley | 2004 |
$14.9 | Hurricane Camille | 1969 |
$14.5 | Hurricane Agnes | 1972 |
$14.2 | Hurricane Ivan | 2004 |
$13.9 | Hurricane Diane | 1955 |
$12.7 | Hurricane Hugo | 1989 |
$12.3 | Hurricane Carol | 1954 |
$11.3 | Fort Lauderdale Hurricane of 1947 | 1947 |
$9.6 | Hurricane Carla | 1961 |
$9.5 | Hurricane Hazel | 1954 |
$8.9 | Hurricane Frances | 2004 |
$8.8 | Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 | 1944 |
$8.6 | South Florida Hurricane of 1945 | 1945 |
$8.5 | Hurricane Frederic | 1979 |
$7.9 | South Florida Hurricane of 1949 | 1949 |
$7.2 | South Texas Hurricane of 1919 | 1919 |
$6.9 | Hurricane Jeanne | 2004 |
$5.5 | Hurricane Alicia | 1983 |
$5.4 | Tropical Storm Allison | 2001 |
$5.3 | Hurricane Floyd | 1999 |
$4.5 | Hurricane Celia | 1970 |
Listed by duration
Storms which have lived longer than twenty days:
Duration (days) |
Name | Date |
---|---|---|
28 | Hurricane San Ciriaco | August 1899 |
27.25 | Hurricane Ginger | September 1971 |
26 | Hurricane Faith | August 1966 |
24.75 | Hurricane Inga | September 1969 |
22 | Hurricane Kyle | September 2002 |
22 | Hurricane Ivan | September 2004 |
20.75 | Storm 9 | September 1893 |
20.75 | Hurricane Carrie | September 1957 |
20.50 | Hurricane Alberto | August 2000 |
20.25 | Hurricane Inez | September 1966 |
Listed by number of tornadoes spawned
Count | Name | Year |
---|---|---|
123 | Hurricane Frances | 2004 |
117 | Hurricane Ivan | 2004 |
115 | Hurricane Beulah | 1967 |
36 | Hurricane Katrina | 2005 |
29 | Hurricane Allen | 1980 |
29 | Hurricane Gilbert | 1988 |
23 | Hurricane Alicia | 1983 |
22 | Hurricane Rita | 2005 |
8 | Hurricane Carla | 1961 |
8 | Hurricane Celia | 1970 |
Listed by seasonal activity
A hurricane with a peak intensity of category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is classified as major.
Listed by most total storms: Post-1900
Total storms |
Year | Tropical storms |
Hurricanes | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minor | Major | ||||
23 | 2005 | 10 | 6 | 7 | Season ends November 30, 2005 |
21 | 1933 | 11 | 5 | 5 | |
19 | 1995 | 8 | 6 | 5 | |
18 | 1969 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 subtropical storm |
16 | 1936 | 9 | 6 | 1 | |
16 | 2003 | 9 | 4 | 3 | |
15 | 2000 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 subtropical storm |
15 | 2001 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
15 | 2004 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 1 subtropical storm |
14 | 1953 | 8 | 2 | 4 | |
14 | 1990 | 6 | 7 | 1 | |
14 | 1998 | 4 | 7 | 3 | |
13 | 1949 | 6 | 4 | 3 | |
13 | 1950 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |
13 | 1971 | 7 | 5 | 1 | |
13 | 1984 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 subtropical storm |
13 | 1996 | 4 | 3 | 6 | |
12 | 1901 | 7 | 5 | 0 | |
12 | 1955 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
12 | 1964 | 6 | 0 | 6 | |
12 | 1978 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 subtropical storm |
12 | 1981 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 subtropical storm |
12 | 1988 | 7 | 2 | 3 | |
12 | 1999 | 4 | 3 | 5 | |
12 | 2002 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
Listed by most total storms: Pre-1900
Total storms |
Year | Tropical storms |
Hurricanes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Minor | Major | |||
19 | 1887 | 8 | 9 | 2 |
12 | 1878 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
12 | 1886 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
12 | 1893 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
Listed by fewest total storms
Most storm seasons on this list predate satellite weather tracking, so there could have potentially been more, unrecorded storms. Seasons prior to 1900 are not included due to lack of accurate data for the period.
Total storms |
Year | Tropical storms |
Hurricanes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Minor | Major | |||
1 | 1914 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2 | 1925 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
2 | 1930 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
3 | 1917 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
3 | 1919 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
3 | 1929 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
4 | 1911 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
4 | 1913 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
4 | 1920 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
4 | 1922 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
4 | 1983 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Notable Canadian hurricanes
- Newfoundland Hurricane of 1775, 1775: 4,163 Deaths
- Saxby Gale, 1869
- Great Nova Scotia Cyclone, 1873
- Great August Gale, 1934
- Hurricane Hazel, 1954 (made landfall in the United States but continued northward)
- The Perfect Storm, 1991
- Hurricane Juan, 2003
Unnamed but historically significant
- The Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635. First recorded hurricane to hit New England
- The Newfoundland Hurricane of 1775, Killed over 4,000 people in September 1775
- The Great Hurricane of 1780. Deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, over 20,000 killed
- The Great September Gale of 1815
- Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Deadliest natural disaster in US history (as of 2005)
- The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926. Florida's economy didn't even begin to recover until the 1950s.
- The 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane†. Wrecked Guadaloupe and Puerto Rico; second deadliest hurricane in US history.
- The Great August Gale of 1934. A surprise hurricane which struck Canada.
- Labor Day Hurricane of 1935†. Struck the Florida Keys; strongest storm to ever hit the United States.
- The New England Hurricane of 1938. Killed 600.
- 1943 Surprise Hurricane. First intentional flight into a hurricane
- Halloween Nor'easter of 1991. Also known as the Perfect Storm, officially designated "Hurricane #8", formed from the remnants of Hurricane Grace
Lesser known but significant hurricanes
- The Last Island Hurricane of 1856: 400 people dead. The island and the resort on it never resurfaced.
- The Indianola Hurricane of 1886: destroyed Indianola, Texas.
- The New York Hurricane of 1893: a Category 1 going straight down Broadway.
- The Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893: killed 2,000 people on the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
- The Chenier Caminada Hurricane of 1893: killed 2,000 people in Louisiana.
- The Hurricane San Ciriaco of 1899: traversed the Atlantic for 31 days.
- The March Hurricane of 1908: reached Category 2 strength in March.
- The Dominican Republic Hurricane of 1930: killed 8,000 people
- The 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane: stormed through Fort Lauderdale just weakened from a Category 5.
- Hurricane Alice of 1954–55, formed after Christmas and continued into January.
Off-season storms
- March Hurricane of 1908 – formed March 6
- Hurricane Able - Category 3 in May, 1951
- Groundhog Day Storm, 1952 - formed on February 2 and hit south Florida.
- Hurricane Alice, 1954 - formed in late December and continued until early January.
- Tropical Storm Arlene - formed May 6.
- Hurricane Lili formed December 12
- Tropical Storm Ana, 2003 - First North Atlantic tropical system ever recorded to develop in April.
- Tropical Storm Odette, 2003 - First tropical system to develop in December in the Caribbean Sea in recorded history.
- Tropical Storm Peter, 2003 - First time two tropical systems develop in December in 115 years.
Category 5 hurricanes
Becoming a Category 5 (sustained windspeeds greater than 155 mph) is achieved on a regular basis in the Western Pacific but is rare in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Since 1851, only 28 Atlantic hurricanes are known to have reached Category 5 and only nine made landfall while at this intensity. Only three times have more than one Category 5 formed in the same season: two in 1960 and 1961, and three in 2005.
See also the List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes and Category:Category 5 hurricanes.
- The Lake Okeechobee Hurricane† - 1928
- The Bahamas Hurricane - 1932
- The Labor Day Hurricane† - 1935
- The Great New England Hurricane - 1938
- The Fort Lauderdale Hurricane - 1947
- Hurricane Dog - 1950
- Hurricane Easy - 1951
- Hurricane Janet† - 1955
- Hurricane Cleo - 1958
- Hurricane Donna - 1960
- Hurricane Ethel - 1960
- Hurricane Carla - 1961
- Hurricane Hattie - 1961
- Hurricane Beulah - 1967
- Hurricane Camille† - 1969
- Hurricane Edith† - 1971
- Hurricane Anita† - 1977
- Hurricane David† - 1979
- Hurricane Allen - 1980
- Hurricane Gilbert† - 1988
- Hurricane Hugo - 1989
- Hurricane Andrew† - 1992 (see [6])
- Hurricane Mitch - 1998
- Hurricane Isabel - 2003
- Hurricane Ivan - 2004
- Hurricane Katrina - 2005
- Hurricane Rita - 2005
- Hurricane Wilma - 2005
† Made landfall as a Category 5
Listed by intensity
Ten most intense Atlantic hurricanes Intensity is measured solely by central pressure |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Rank | Hurricane | Year | Minimum pressure |
1 | Wilma | 2005 | 882 mbar (hPa) |
2 | Gilbert | 1988 | 888 mbar (hPa) |
3 | Labor Day | 1935 | 892 mbar (hPa) |
4 | Rita | 2005 | 897 mbar (hPa) |
5 | Allen | 1980 | 899 mbar (hPa) |
6 | Katrina | 2005 | 902 mbar (hPa) |
7 | Camille | 1969 | 905 mbar (hPa) |
8 | Mitch | 1998 | 905 mbar (hPa) |
9 | Ivan | 2004 | 910 mbar (hPa) |
10 | Janet | 1955 | 914 mbar (hPa) |
Source: The Weather Channel |
East Atlantic
- 2005's Hurricane Vince, a Category 1 hurricane that made landfall as a tropical storm in Spain, the first tropical cyclone recorded to do so.
South Atlantic basin
Tropical cyclones rarely form in the South Atlantic Basin. Only three South Atlantic tropical cyclones in the area have been confirmed.
- The Angola Cyclone, 1991 - a tropical storm formed off Angola in April.
- The January Storm, 2004 - a cyclone of depression and possibly storm strength formed in January.
- Cyclone Catarina, 2004 - first positively observed hurricane in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Eastern Pacific basin
Retired names
See also Category:Retired Pacific hurricanes.
Some of the names not in the table may have been retired due to pronunciation difficulties or a "socially unacceptable meaning".
The background color behind the name indicates its strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale at its strongest landfall.
Tropical depression | Tropical storm | Category 1 hurricane | Category 2 hurricane | Category 3 hurricane | Category 4 hurricane | Category 5 hurricane |
Name | Year | Location | Deaths | Damage ($US) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fico | 1978 | Hawaiian Islands | unknown | Significant |
Fefa | 1991 | Big Island | 0 | unknown |
Ismael | 1995 | Northern Mexico | 105 | unknown |
Pauline | 1997 | Guerrero and Oaxaca | 230–400 | extensive |
Kenna | 2002 | Western Mexico | 4 | $5-$100 million |
Additionally, Adolph and Israel were removed during and after the 2001 season due to political sensitivities.
Source: WMO Technical Document
Unnamed
- 1858 San Diego Hurricane, 1858 - Strongest landfall in California
- 1939 Long Beach Tropical Storm‡, 1939 - Only known modern landfall in California
- 1959 Mexico Hurricane†, 1959 - Most intense landfall
Longest-lived Eastern Pacific storm
- John, 1994, lasted 31 days
Deadliest East Pacific Storms
Deaths | Name | Year |
---|---|---|
1800+ | 1959 Mexico Hurricane | 1998 |
1000+ | Hurricane Paul | 1982 |
630+ | Hurricane Liza | 1976 |
230–400 | Hurricane Pauline | 1997 |
105 | Hurricane Ismael | 1995 |
100 | Unnamed | 1943 |
45 | Unnamed | 1939 |
40 | Hurricane Bridget | 1971 |
30 | Hurricane Olivia | 1975 |
Most Active East Pacific Seasons
- 1992 season 24 + 3 systems (10–6–8) + (1–0–2)
- 1985 season 22 + 1 systems (10–4–8) + (0–1–0)
- 1983 season 21 + 0 systems (9–4–8)
- 1990 season 20 + 1 systems (4–10–6) + (1–0–0)
- 1982 season 19 + 4 systems (8–6–5) + (3–1–0)
- Note: East Pacific total + Central Pacific total
- Number Notation: East Pacific (Tropical Storm, (Category 1/2) Hurricane, Major Hurricane) + Central Pacific (Tropical Storm, (Category 1/2) Hurricane, Major Hurricane)
Least Active East Pacific Seasons
This excludes seasons before 1966. Before reliable satellite observations began that year, the number of East Pacific hurricanes was badly underestimated.
- 1977 season 8 + 0 systems (4–4–0)
- 1996 season 9 + 0 systems (4–3–2)
- 1999 season 9 + 0 systems (3–4–2)
- 1969 season 10 + 0 systems (6–4–0)
- 1995 season 10 + 0 systems (3–4–3)
- 1979 season 10 + 0 systems (4–2–4)
- Number Notation: East Pacific (Tropical Storm, (Category 1/2) Hurricane, Major Hurricane) + Central Pacific (Tropical Storm, (Category 1/2) Hurricane, Major Hurricane)
Off-season storms
- Hurricane Winnie - formed December 4
- Tropical Storm 1 - Formed May 13 (Season starts May 15)
Category 5's
Becoming a Category 5 (sustained windspeeds greater than 155 mph) is achieved on a regular basis in the Western Pacific but is rare in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Since 1959, only 10 Pacific hurricanes are known to have reached Category 5 and only one made landfall while at this intensity. Category 5 hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific generally form only during El Niño years, causing a clumping of Category 5 storms in single years. Only once, in 1973, did a lone Category 5 form.
See also: List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes and Category:Category 5 hurricanes
- Hurricane Patsy - 1959
- 1959 Mexico hurricane† - 1959
- Hurricane Ava - 1973
- Hurricane Gilma - 1994
- Hurricane John - 1994
- Hurricane Guillermo - 1997
- Hurricane Linda - 1997
- Hurricane Elida - 2002
- Hurricane Hernan - 2002
- Hurricane Kenna - 2002
† Made landfall as a Category 5
Listed by Intensity
Name | Pressure |
---|---|
Linda | 902 mbar (estimated) |
Kenna | 913 mbar |
Ava | 915 mbar |
The three strongest landfalls:
Central Pacific basin
See also Category:Retired Pacific hurricanes.
Name | Year | Location | Deaths | Damage ($US) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Iwa | 1982 | Kauai | 1 | $200 million |
Iniki | 1992 | Kauai and Oahu | 6 | $3.5 billion USD (costliest Pacific hurricane) |
Unnamed
- Hurricane 12, 1975 - formed at record north latitude
Out of Season Storms
- Hurricane Ekeka - formed January 26
- Tropical Storm Hali - formed March 28
- Tropical Storm Paka - formed December 2
Western Pacific basin
Retired Names
Tropical depression | Tropical storm | Category 1 typhoon | Category 2 typhoon | Category 3 typhoon | Category 4 typhoon | Category 5 typhoon |
Names retired before 2000 were retired by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Ones retired during and after that year were retired by Japan Meteorological Agency.
Name | Year | Location | Deaths | Damage ($US) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Mike | Philippines, Vietnam, southern China | 250+ | $14 million (1990 USD) |
1991 | Mireille | Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan | 52 | $3 Billion (1991 USD) |
1991 | Thelma | Philippines | 6000 | unknown |
1992 | Omar | Guam, Taiwan | 2 | $457 million (1992 USD) |
2001 | Vamei | Singapore, Malaysia, and Sumatra | unknown | unknown |
PAGASA also retires names for typhoons and tropical storms that affect the Philippines.
Other Named
- Longwang, 2005, Taiwan
- Maemi, 2003, Korea
- Pongsona, 2002, Guam
- Maggie, Sam, York and Cam 1999, Hong Kong - Four storms to directly strike the vicinity of Hong Kong within one typhoon season
- Paka, 1997, Guam
- Herb, 1996, Taiwan and China - The strongest and the largest storm of this year, dropped heavy rain over Taiwan and China, killing hundreds.
- Nina [7], 1975 - Dropped rain over eastern China, contributing to the collapse of the Banqiao Dam which killed at least 170,000
- Pamela, 1976, Guam
- Tip, 1979, Japan
- Rose, 1971, Hong Kong
- Wanda, 1962, Hong Kong - Often cited by Hong Kong residents as an example of a deadly storm. Although it ranked only as category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, the deficient warning system of the time led to many deaths in the villages of the New Territories unaware of the storm surge.
- Nancy, 1961, Japan
- Vera, 1959, Japan - One of Japan's worst natural disasters, it caused over 5,000 deaths
Unnamed
- The Great Hong Kong Typhoon, 1937
- The Typhoon of 1944, 17-18 December, three US destroyers lost
Northern Indian Ocean
This region has had some of the world's deadliest cyclones, but there is a dearth of organized information about them.
- 1737 Calcutta cyclone, caused death and destruction around Calcutta, India
- 1864 Calcutta cyclone, killed around 60,000 people in Calcutta, India
- 1970 Bhola cyclone, killed between 100,000 to 500,000 people in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
- 1991 Bangladesh cyclone, killed 138,000 people in the Chittagong region of Bangladesh
- Tropical Cyclone 05B (1999), killed around 10,000 people in the Orissa state of India [8]
South Pacific Ocean
- Cyclone Giselle - 1968 - Caused the Wahine Disaster in New Zealand
- Cyclone Bola - 1988 - extensive damage and 3 deaths in New Zealand
- Cyclone Zoe - 2002 - Reached an incredible intensity in open ocean.
- Cyclone Erica -2003 - Devastated the South Pacific islands as a Category 5.
- Cyclone Ivy - 2004 - Ripped through the entire length of Vanuatu and edged New Zealand.
South Indian Ocean
- Cyclone Firinga - 1989 - Struck the island of La Reunion, Category 2.
- Cyclone Leon-Eline - 2000 - Drenched Madagascar and blew away Mozambique.
- Cyclone Gafilo - 2004 - Made landfall on Madagascar as a Category 5.
Australian tropical cyclones
See History - Australia's worst cyclone disasters (from Queensland Government State Disaster Management Group). See also Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Severe Weather Everts
- Cyclone Mahina, 1899 - over 300 people died.
- Cyclone Ada, 1970 - struck Whitsunday Island resorts and Whitsunday coast mainland. 14 people died and cost approximately AU$390 million.
- Cyclone Althea, 1971 - struck Magnetic Island and Townsville, Queensland on Christmas Day
- Cyclone Wanda, 1974 - caused extensive flooding in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales
- Cyclone Tracy, 1974 - 71 people died
- Cyclone Justin, 1997 - 7 people died and damage came to approximately 190 million AUD.
- Cyclone Thelma, 1998 - intense Category 5 system that hit the Kimberleys, Western Australia causing extensive damage and flooding near Darwin.
- Cyclone Vance, 1999 - Category 5 system that caused extensive damage to the West Australian towns of Exmouth and Onslow.
- Cyclone Ingrid, 2005
Most intense storms on record
Rank | Name | Pressure | Location | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Typhoon Tip | 870 mbar | Western Pacific | 1979 |
2 | Typhoon Gay | 872 mbar | Western Pacific | 1992* |
3 | Typhoon Ivan | 872 mbar | Western Pacific | 1997* |
4 | Typhoon Joan | 872 mbar | Western Pacific | 1997* |
5 | Typhoon Keith | 872 mbar | Western Pacific | 1997* |
6 | Typhoon Zeb | 872 mbar | Western Pacific | 1998* |
7 | Typhoon June | 875 mbar | Western Pacific | 1975 |
8 | Typhoon Forrest | 876 mbar | Western Pacific | 1983 |
9 | Typhoon Ida | 877 mbar | Western Pacific | 1958 |
10 | Typhoon Nora | 877 mbar | Western Pacific | 1973 |
11 | Typhoon Rita | 878 mbar | Western Pacific | 1978 |
12 | Typhoon Yvette | 878 mbar | Western Pacific | 1991* |
13 | Typhoon Damrey | 878 mbar | Western Pacific | 2000* |
14 | Typhoon Vanessa | 879 mbar | Western Pacific | 1984 |
15 | Typhoon Angela | 879 mbar | Western Pacific | 1995* |
16 | Typhoon Faxai | 879 mbar | Western Pacific | 2001* |
17 | Cyclone Zoe | 879 mbar | South Pacific | 2002** |
18 | Typhoon Chaba | 879 mbar | Western Pacific | 2004* |
19 | Typhoon Violet | 882 mbar | Western Pacific | 1961 |
20 | Hurricane Wilma | 882 mbar | Atlantic | 2005 |
21 | Typhoon Irma | 884 mbar | Western Pacific | 1971 |
22 | Typhoon Mike | 885 mbar | Western Pacific | 1990* |
23 | Typhoon Yuri | 885 mbar | Western Pacific | 1991* |
24 | Typhoon Maemi | 885 mbar | Western Pacific | 2003* |
25 | Typhoon Dianmu | 885 mbar | Western Pacific | 2004* |
26 | Unnamed typhoon of 1927 | 887 mbar | Western Pacific | 1927 |
27 | Typhoon Judy | 887 mbar | Western Pacific | 1979 |
28 | Typhoon Nancy | 888 mbar | Western Pacific | 1961 |
29 | Typhoon Abby | 888 mbar | Western Pacific | 1983 |
30 | Hurricane Gilbert | 888 mbar | Atlantic | 1988 |
31 | Labor Day Hurricane | 892 mbar | Atlantic | 1935 |
32 | Hurricane Rita | 897 mbar | Atlantic | 2005 |
33 | Hurricane Allen | 899 mbar | Atlantic | 1980 |
34 | Hurricane Linda | 902 mbar | Eastern Pacific | 1997 |
35 | Hurricane Katrina | 902 mbar | Atlantic | 2005 |
36 | Hurricane Camille | 905 mbar | Atlantic | 1969 |
37 | Hurricane Mitch | 905 mbar | Atlantic | 1998 |
38 | Hurricane Ivan | 910 mbar | Atlantic | 2004 |
39 | Hurricane Kenna | 913 mbar | Eastern Pacific | 2002 |
Notes:
- *Minimum central pressure of these storms was estimated based on satellite data, rather than directly measured.
- **Estimated value. RSMC Fiji estimated 890 mbar.
This list includes Western Pacific storms with pressure of less than 890 mb and Atlantic and Eastern Pacific storms with pressure of less than 915 mb. Additional Western Pacific storms with pressure over 895 mb have been recorded, but are neither exceptional for that basin nor all reliably measured. As for Indian Ocean storms, pressure readings are too scarce to make a list reliable.
Size extremes
- Typhoon Tip is the largest tropical cyclone on record at 1350 miles (2170 km) wide, October (1979)
- Cyclone Tracy is the smallest tropical cyclone on record at 30 miles (48 km) wide, December (1974)
Highest storm surge
Little information is available about the storm surge of tropical cyclones around the world. The below are three powerful hurricanes which had very high storm surges.
- Cyclone Mahina - 42 feet, South Pacific, 1899
- Hurricane Katrina - 35 feet, Atlantic Ocean, 2005
- Hurricane Camille - 24 feet, Atlantic Ocean, 1969
Notes
- †: a very severe hurricane (category 5 at landfall on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale)
- ‡: a tropical storm, not a hurricane