TPC NHC MOST INTENSE U.S. HURRICANES

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The Most Intense Hurricanes In The United States 1900-1996

Intensity is for time of landfall. The cyclones may have been stronger at other times.
RANKING	HURRICANE	YEAR	CATEGORY	PRESSURE (MILLIBARS)	PRESSURE (INCHES OF MERCURY)
1.	FL (Keys)	1935	5	892	26.35
2.	CAMILLE (MS/SE LA/VA)	1969	5	909	26.84
3.	ANDREW (SE FL/SE LA)	1992	4	922	27.23
4.	FL (Keys)/S TX	1919	4	927	27.37
5.	FL (Lake Okeechobee)	1928	4	929	27.43
6.	DONNA (FL/Eastern U.S.)	1960	4	930	27.46
7.	TX (Galveston)	1900	4	931	27.49
7.	LA (Grand Isle)	1909	4	931	27.49
7.	LA (New Orleans)	1915	4	931	27.49
7.	CARLA (N & Cent. TX)	1961	4	931	27.49
11.	HUGO (SC)	1989	4	934	27.58
12.	FL (Miami)/MS/AL/Pensacola	1926	4	935	27.61
13.	HAZEL (SC/NC)	1954	4 ^*	938	27.70
14.	SE FL/SE LA/MS	1947	4	940	27.76
15.	N TX	1932	4	941	27.79
16.	GLORIA (Eastern U.S.)	1985	3 ^*&	942	27.82
16.	OPAL (NW FL/AL)	1995	3 ^&	942	27.82
18.	AUDREY (SW LA/N TX)	1957	4 ^#	945	27.91
18.	TX (Galveston)	1915	4 ^#	945	27.91
18.	CELIA (S TX)	1970	3	945	27.91
18.	ALLEN (S TX)	1980	3	945	27.91
22.	NEW ENGLAND	1938	3 ^*	946	27.94
22.	FREDERIC (AL/MS)	1979	3	946	27.94
24.	NE U.S.	1944	3 ^*	947	27.97
24.	SC/NC	1906	3	947	27.97
26.	BETSY (SE FL/SE LA)	1965	3	948	27.99
26.	SE FL/NW FL	1929	3	948	27.99
26.	SE FL	1933	3	948	27.99
26.	S TX	1916	3	948	27.99
26.	MS/AL	1916	3	948	27.99
31.	DIANE (NC)	1955	3 ⁺	949	28.02
31.	S TX	1933	3	949	28.02
33.	BEULAH (S TX)	1967	3	950	28.05
33.	HILDA (Central LA)	1964	3	950	28.05
33.	GRACIE (SC)	1959	3	950	28.05
33.	TX (Central)	1942	3	950	28.05
37.	SE FL	1945	3	951	28.08
38.	FL (Tampa Bay)	1921	3	952	28.11
38.	CARMEN (Central LA)	1974	3	952	28.11
40.	EDNA (New England)	1954	3 ^*	954	28.17
40.	SE FL	1949	3	954	28.17
40.	FRAN (NC)	1996	3	954	28.17
43.	ELOISE (NW FL)	1975	3	955	28.20
43.	KING (SE FL)	1950	3	955	28.20
43.	CENTRAL LA	1926	3	955	28.20
43.	SW LA	1918	3	955	28.20
43.	SW FL	1910	3	955	28.20
48.	NC	1933	3	957	28.26
48.	FL (Keys)	1909	3	957	28.26
50.	EASY (NW FL)	1950	3	958	28.29
50.	N TX	1941	3	958	28.29
50.	NW FL	1917	3	958	28.29
50.	N TX	1909	3	958	28.29
50.	MS/AL	1906	3	958	28.29
55.	ELENA (MS/AL/NW FL)	1985	3	959	28.32
56.	CAROL (NE U.S.)	1954	3 ^*	960	28.35
56.	IONE (NC)	1955	3	960	28.35
56.	EMILY (NC)	1993	3	960	28.35
59.	ALICIA (N TX)	1983	3	962	28.41
59.	CONNIE (NC/VA)	1955	3	962	28.41
59.	SW FL/NE FL	1944	3	962	28.41
59.	CENTRAL LA	1934	3	962	28.41
63.	SW FL/NE FL	1948	3	963	28.44
64.	NW FL	1936	3	964	28.47

^* - Moving more than 30 miles an hour.
^& - Highest category justified by winds.
^# - Classified Cat. 4 because of estimated winds.
⁺ - Cape Fear, North Carolina, area only; was a Cat. 2 at final landfall.

DIRECT HITS BY HURRICANES U.S. MAINLAND 1900-1996
CATEGORY 5: 2

CATEGORY 4: 15

CATEGORY 3: 47

CATEGORY 2: 37

CATEGORY 1: 57

TOTAL 158

Major hurricanes
(Categories 3,4,5): 64

This means that during the period 1900-1992, an average of two major hurricanes every 3 years made landfall somewhere along the United States Gulf or Atlantic Coast. (All categories combined average about five hurricanes every 3 years for the same period.)

This is taken from The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States hurricanes of this century (and other frequently requested hurricane facts) [NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS TPC-1] updated in February, 1997.

Brian Maher
Jack Beven

Last updated July 20, 1999