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Tag: Hurricane Archive

  • 2025 Atlantic hurricane wrap-up; no hurricane made landfall in the U.S.

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    For the first time in a decade, there was no direct landfall on the U.S. from a hurricane. Despite no landfalls, it was still an active season overall with 13 named storms and three Category 5 hurricanes.

    What You Need To Know

    • NOAA and Colorado State University forecasted above normal activity this year

    • First year since 2015 that no hurricane made a direct landfall on the United States

    • Hurricane Melissa was the most intense hurricane of the 2025 season, with winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 mbar


    Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Colorado State University (CSU) predicted 2025 would have above-normal activity during their pre-season forecasts. With the latter predicting 16 named storms. 

    Total storms

    In the end, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was slightly above average with 13 named storms, five hurricanes and four major storms.

    However, the season didn’t feel all that busy, and that’s because most of the storms stayed out to sea, with no direct landfalling hurricanes this year. Thanks to a persistent weaker Bermuda High, many storms came close to the coast but curved northward out to sea before making direct landfall.

    Notable storms

    Even though storms did not make landfall, that doesn’t mean they didn’t cause damage to the United States. Hurricanes Erin and Imelda came close to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, causing coastal erosion. In the past five years, at least 11 homes have toppled into the surf in Rodanthe, N.C.

    Both storms ended up curving northward and then northeast out to sea.

    Two houses sit out in the heavy surf as Hurricane Erin passes offshore at Rodanthe, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)

    Although no hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. this year, one tropical storm did—Chantal. It made landfall just one day after forming, moving inland near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, as a tropical storm with winds of 60 mph on July 6.

    Flooding from Chantal in Saxapahaw. (Spectrum News 1/Jordan Kudisch)

    Heavy rainfall and flash flooding were the biggest impacts from Chantal. Radar-estimated rainfall totals up 9 to 12 inches were recorded in parts of North Carolina between Raleigh and Greensboro, causing significant flooding around Chapel Hill and nearby rivers.

    Fujiwhara Effect

    As Hurricane Imelda was churning off the coast of North Carolina, it was also about 400 miles from Hurricane Humberto, creating a semi-rare phenomenon called the Fujiwhara Effect. With the two hurricanes so close to each other, it looked as if a mega-hurricane was going to develop, but Bay News 9’s Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay said back in September, we should not be concerned about these storms colliding and forming a mega-hurricane.

    “In the Atlantic, if two tropical systems are close enough, they can ruin the environment for both, just like we are seeing right now with Humberto and Imelda. There just isn’t enough ocean space.”

    Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto are located about 400 miles from each other in the Atlantic. (NOAA)

    The smaller or weaker storm will usually circle around the bigger one, as the larger storm will eventually dominate or potentially even fully absorb the smaller system. In this case, Imelda was the larger storm and fully absorbed Humberto.

    Category 5 storms

    Three hurricanes this year reached Category 5 status with wind speeds over 155 mph. Those storms include Hurricane Erin, Humberto and Melissa.

    Erin formed in the western Atlantic on Aug. 11 and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on Aug. 16 with winds of 160 mph. It brushed past the northern Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola before moving past the U.S., bringing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents up the East Coast.

    Coastal flooding was worse along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, especially during high tide, forcing thousands to evacuate and closing Highway 12 on Hatteras Island, and tidal flooding led to rescues in Margate City, New Jersey.

    A section of N.C. 12 at the north end of Buxton is flooding before the Tuesday afternoon high tide as Hurricane Erin continues moving northwest across the Atlantic Ocean. (N.C. Department of Transportation)

    Hurricane Humberto became a hurricane two days after forming into a tropical storm. It rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm and then, 24 hours later, it reached peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph. It moved between the United States and Bermuda and brought large swells and dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast and squally weather to Bermuda.

    Melissa was a late-season Category 5 hurricane and the most intense storm of the season. It became a tropical storm on Oct. 21 and by Oct. 25 it had undergone rapid intensification, becoming a Category 4 hurricane. Melissa nearly stalled in the Caribbean Sea and, thanks to favorable conditions, it achieved Category 5 status on Oct. 27.

    The church of Lacovia Tombstone, Jamaica, sits damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

    It reached peak intensity with winds of 185 mph and is now tied for third for the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record (since 1851) with a pressure of 892 mbar. It made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Oct. 28. Over 100 fatalities were reported due to Melissa.

    Forecast models

    The forecast for Melissa was notably a challenge. Weather models were showing inconsistent tracks run-to-run.

    The National Hurricane Center, surprisingly, relied on Google’s DeepMind, a new AI weather model-over more traditional models. Data showed the AI model outperformed traditional physics-based models and aligned with the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts when came to track error.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

     

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn, Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Can two tropical systems collide? The Fujiwhara Effect explained

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    Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto are churning in the western Atlantic. As of Tuesday morning, they are located a little over 400 miles from one another.

    Initially, it could appear that the two storms will merge to generate a mega-hurricane, but this is not the case, due to the Fujiwhara Effect. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Fujiwhara effect is when two storms orbit around a common point

    • It’s an unusual circumstance, especially among tropical systems

    • It usually takes place in the spacious Pacific Ocean, but can occur in any ocean


    So why does this happen? In short, the two low pressure systems rotate around a common center point. 

    What is the Fujiwhara Effect?

    Named for Sakuhei Fujiwhara, a Japanese meteorologist who first noticed storms’ interactions in the 1920s. He theorized that two storms could rotate around a common point and influence tracks of the storms. Fujiwhara was proven correct.

    In some instances these storms look like they are “dancing” with one another. 

    Bay News 9’s Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay says we should not be concerned about these storms colliding and forming a mega-hurricane. “In the Atlantic, if two tropical systems are close enough, they can ruin the environment for both, just like we are seeing right now with Humberto and Imelda. There just isn’t enough ocean space.”

    The smaller or weaker storm will usually circle around the bigger one, as the larger storm will eventually dominate or potentially even fully absorb the smaller system.

    Imelda, in this case, is the larger storm and is expected to fully absorb Humberto over the next day or so. Wind shear, or the change in wind speed and direction with height, is usually created from the interaction, killing one or both storms.

    2023 Atlantic Ocean Fujiwhara Effect

    Clay says this effect is rare and commonly occurs in the Pacific Ocean because it is the larger ocean, but it can happen in any ocean. 

    Nearly two years ago, a similar occurrence was taking place in the Atlantic Ocean, albeit with weaker storms. Tropical Storms Philippe and Tropical Storm Rina were both located east of the Leeward Islands. 

    They began to do the “dance” of the Fujiwhara Effect and eventually, the stronger storm – Philippe weakened Rina. 

    On Sept. 28, 2023, Tropical Storms Philippe and Rina east of the Leeward Islands, began the Fujiwhara Effect “dance.” (NOAA)

    For interests in the tropics, here is what we are currently tracking. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Taking spaghetti models with a grain of salt

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    During hurricane season, spaghetti models are a frequently cited resource for helping forecast tropical systems. But there’s a lot you should know about spaghetti models and specifically, when and how best to use them.

    What You Need To Know

    • Spaghetti models plot individual computer forecast models on one map

    • They can be a very useful tool for forecasting tropical systems

    • There are key limitation to spaghetti models, however

    • Be careful with how you use and interpret spaghetti models

    Spaghetti models – also commonly referred to as spaghetti plots – can offer easy-to-digest (no pun intended) insight about a tropical system’s potential path. 

    They’re often cited by meteorologists during hurricane season, but there are also important distinctions about when and how best to use them.

    First things first, the spaghetti models show a series of individual computer forecast models, all overlayed together on one map. Each line on the map represents a separate computer forecast model or simulation.

    Spaghetti models are a key tool to help forecasters determine where a storm might be headed, and how much confidence those forecast models might have on a given storm. 

    But with all the help spaghetti models can offer a forecaster, they can also be equally as deceptive, or even misleading, to the untrained eye.

    Spectrum News chief meteorologist Mike Clay offered a strong word of caution on spaghetti models, along with when and how best to interpret them.

    “The only thing the spaghetti [model] is good for is telling how much confidence we have in the models,” Clay said. “If all of the lines are on top of each other, it tells you the atmosphere is in a state that can be modeled and you should have greater confidence.”

    “If the lines are all over the place,” Clay continued, “It tells you there is low confidence and pay attention to changes.”

    In particular, there is one individual ‘model’ that is actually a climatological representation of where a storm should go. However, that model, the so-called CLIP model, appears as a single line. But, this isn’t really a forecast model.

    The CLIP, because it’s exclusively based on climatology, fails to take into account current weather conditions and factors. Because of that, it often shows up as an outlier.

    Other models, like the Global Forecast System (GFS), are known for being not as strong at forecasting tropical systems. Some of the spaghetti models may be better with track, while others may specialize in intensity. 

    In other words: take the spaghetti models (and especially outliers) with a grain of salt, and leave the interpretations of them to the experts.

    Italian for dinner?

    If the spaghetti models look like, say, a messy bowl of linguine pasta (like the example map below), that’s usually an indicator that there’s overall lower confidence about where the storm might be headed.

    On the other side of things, if the spaghetti models resemble a straight line, that’s a good sign that the models may have a better idea about a storm’s possible path. 

    Think of it like an unopened package of grocery store spaghetti, a clustered, linear shape to the models is a signal of a higher confidence forecast.

    In the map below, the initial clustering of lines shows a stronger confidence forecast. Later on, in the Caribbean Sea, the divergence of the models shows a lower confidence forecast.

    Use with caution

    Another key reminder about spaghetti models is that they are purely in reference to a specific storm’s track. They don’t, for example, consider a storm’s potential strength or other possible impacts, like flooding or storm surge. 

    “The spaghetti [models] have nothing to do with intensity,” Clay said.

    When you see a spaghetti model map, also consider the other factors that could potentially make a storm dangerous, like intensity, forward speed and potential flooding, and storm surge.

    So the next time you see spaghetti models, use them, but use them wisely.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Weather Explained: What is Saharan dust layer?

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    Saharan dust plays a big role in tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic. Strong winds pick up the dust from the Sahara Desert and transport it thousands of miles across the Atlantic. This layer of dust is known as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL).

    Tropical cyclones need specific ingredients to form, and one of them is moisture. As you would expect, the Saharan Air Layer over the Atlantic is relatively dry and contains 50% less moisture than the typical tropical air mass. This will limit any development or intensification of tropical cyclones.

    Saharan dust events pick up in June and carry into mid-August. During these times, large plumes of dust are lofted into the atmosphere and carried by strong upper level winds across the Atlantic. Often, the dust reaches the U.S. coast, and it can even cause a beautiful sunset.

    Watch the video above to learn more on the relationship between Saharan dust and tropical systems.

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    Meteorologist Nick Merianos

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  • Remembering the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935

    Remembering the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935

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    One of the most brutal hurricanes to ever strike our state took place over the Labor Day weekend in 1935. Known as the Labor Day Hurricane, it remains the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in Florida in recorded history.

    What You Need To Know

    • The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane remains the most intense hurricane to strike Florida on record

    • Winds were estimated to be at 185 mph at landfall in the Keys

    • It was a small but powerful hurricane with an eye stretching eight miles across

    • The center of the storm just missed Tampa Bay to the west


    Our nation was in the midst of the Great Depression at the time.

    Federal jobs were created to employ World War I veterans and several large-scale construction projects were ongoing, especially in the Florida Keys. The government sent nearly 700 veterans to the Keys to work on the projects. 

    Weather reports of tropical storm conditions were coming out of the Bahamas and a strengthening storm was headed west toward south Florida and the Florida Keys.

    Leading up to Labor Day weekend, nearly half of the veterans took a trip to Miami for the weekend while the rest remained in place on the Florida Keys. There were some alerts that hurricane conditions were possible during Labor Day weekend and some residents began to board up while many others paid little attention to the storm.

    Nobody knew how bad the storm was going to be. 

    The Labor Day Hurricane started to undergo rapid intensification as it neared the Florida Keys. It became a whopping category 5 hurricane with a very small eye, estimated to be about eight miles wide.

    The strongest winds from the storm only extended 15 miles out from the center.

    Photograph courtesy the State Library of Florida.

    The hurricane made landfall on Long Key during the evening of September 2. Historic weather records say the calm weather in the eye lasted for 55 minutes before the ferocious weather returned. 

    All wind instruments were destroyed, but an engineering analysis was conducted on the aftermath, estimating the winds reached a peak intensity of 150-200 mph with gusts as high as 250 mph. The damage was unimaginable, but it only covered a small radius of 15 miles as this was a small but powerful hurricane.

    Photograph courtesy the State Library of Florida.

    A barometric pressure of 26.98” was reported on Long Key at 10:20 p.m. before the barometer was washed away by a historic storm surge. The lowest official barometric pressure was recorded in Craig, FL at 26.35”, or 892 mb, making it the most intense hurricane to ever strike Florida.

    The record still stands today. 

    A surge of 18-20 feet above normal inundated the keys and washed away the famous Henry Flagler railroad to Key West.

    Photograph courtesy the State Library of Florida.

    The railway could have been rebuilt, but this was at the height of the Great Depression and the Florida East Coast Railroad was near bankruptcy. In order for the railroad to stay operational, the railroad sold the right-of-way to the state for cash rather than rebuild.

    Therefore, the Great Depression is to blame for not having a railway to Key West rather than the Labor Day Hurricane itself. 

    Les Standiford wrote a lot more about this in his book, “Last Train to Paradise.”

    Photograph courtesy the State Library of Florida.

    As the hurricane pulled away from the Florida Keys, it began to curve north tracking along Florida’s West Coast. On the evening of September 3, the storm passed just offshore of Tampa Bay before striking Cedar Key the following morning. 

    Tampa measured hurricane-force winds of 75 mph, 7.3 inches of rain, and a 5.3 ft storm surge as the hurricane passed by. It almost hit Tampa Bay directly from the south, but it weakened rapidly and stayed just offshore. 

    Unfortunately, the storm killed many people in the Florida Keys. It is reported that 252 veterans were killed and 106 additional were injured. It is estimated that a total of 408 people were killed in total from the hurricane, including three in Cedar Key.

    Most of the deaths were believed to be caused by the storm surge. 

    Had the storm surge not washed away the railroad and killed so many people and the pressure hadn’t been measured, this storm could have easily been missed from the record books because of the small size of the hurricane itself. 

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    Meteorologist Nick Merianos

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  • September hurricanes that brought devastation to the U.S.

    September hurricanes that brought devastation to the U.S.

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    September is the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

    This is because wind shear, the change of speed and/or direction of the wind with height, is weaker, and the ocean waters are extremely warm.

    Sept. 10 is typically the last day for peak tropical activity. From then on out, activity declines, but this doesn’t mean we won’t see powerful storms.

    Let’s look back in recorded history to some of the strongest storms that occurred during September.

    What You Need To Know

    • Most tropical activity occurs during September

    • Storms can form across the entire Atlantic basin

    • The average peak of activity during hurricane season occurs on Sept. 10


    The 2000s

    Damage from Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla. in 2022. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

    Hurricane Ian in 2022: First forming on Sept. 24, Ian traveled through the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf and the Atlantic, making five total landfalls.

    Ian made its first and second landfall in Cuba and Dry Tortugas, Fla. as a Category 3 hurricane, a third and fourth landfall in Cayo Costa, Fla. and near Punta Gorda, Fla. as a Category 4 hurricane and a final landfall in Georgetown, S.C. as a Category 1. 

    The hurricane affected Florida severely, with tens of thousands of structures damaged or destroyed. Catastrophic storm surge occurred on Florida’s west coast, reaching 10 to 15 feet near Fort Myers.

    Historic flooding occurred in some areas, getting over 20 inches of rain. The highest total was 26.95 inches in Grove City, Fla.

    Ian was responsible for 156 deaths, and became the third costliest hurricane on record, causing $112.9 billion in damage. 

    Two people ride past debris piled up on the beach in Galveston, Texas after Hurricane Ike hit the coast. Courtesy: AP/Matt Slocum.

    Hurricane Ike in 2008: Our next hurricane takes us back to 2008 when a tropical wave slid off the coast of Africa at the end of August. It developed into a tropical depression on Sept. 1, and on the same day, became a tropical storm.

    Ike became a hurricane on Sept. 3, underwent rapid intensification, and became a major hurricane later that same day. By the morning of Sept. 4, it reached a maximum intensity of 145 mph.

    Ike first made landfall in Cuba as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing devastating impacts then weakening.

    After, it moved into the Gulf of Mexico and regained strength, reaching Category 2 status before making landfall near Galveston, Texas on Sept. 13.

    Ike’s slow movement and large wind field led to a storm surge up to 20 feet. It destroyed all homes on the Bolivar Peninsula, submerged roads with floodwaters and blocked roads with fallen debris.

    Ike killed 74 people in the state of Texas, alone.

    Its northeast movement brought impacts far north to the upper Midwest and Northeast, causing extensive wind damage and leaving millions of people without power for over a week.

    Hurricane Rita in 2005: The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season will forever be a memorable one, with many powerful storms impacting the U.S. that year.

    Only a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina, Rita developed into a tropical depression near Turks and Caicos on Sept. 18.

    It tracked west for several days and underwent rapid intensification in the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a major Category 5 hurricane on Sept. 21. Rita weakened to a Category 3 hurricane right before making landfall in southwest Louisiana on Sept. 24.

    Rita caused $18.5 billion in damage, bringing up to 15 feet of storm surge to the coast of Louisiana and Texas. It destroyed or damaged most homes.

    Rita’s storm surge overtopped the levees that were newly repaired from Hurricane Katrina’s destruction the month prior, worsening the devastation across the city of New Orleans.

    Hurricane Ivan floods Gulf Breeze, Fla. Courtesy: AP/John Bazemore

    Hurricane Ivan in 2004: Ivan formed in the central Atlantic on Sept. 2, tracking west-northwest for a week while intensifying.

    It first brushed by Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands, fluctuating between a Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane before weakening to a Category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

    Ivan then made landfall near Gulf Shores, Ala. as a major Category 3 hurricane on Sept. 16.

    Once again, the storm surge was the primary cause of damage, destroying and washing away many homes.

    Ivan also produced over 100 tornadoes throughout 9 different states and dumped heavy rainfall along its path, racking up $20.5 billion in damage.

    Ivan then moved eastward back toward the Atlantic Ocean, curved back toward Florida, moved over the Gulf of Mexico for a second time, and made a second landfall in Louisiana as a tropical depression.

    Luckily, it weakened quickly and didn’t produce any big impacts the second time around.

    The 1900s

    Hurricane Floyd in 1999: Floyd first originated as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on Sept. 2.

    It traveled west and intensified to a major Category 4 hurricane while traveling through the Bahamas.

    Floyd then turned north and paralleled the Florida coast, weakening and making landfall at Cape Fear, N.C. as a Category 2 hurricane.

    It brought heavy rain, tornadoes and a high storm surge.

    The peak of the storm surge, which reached 10 feet, occurred at high tide, and devastated the state.

    Nearly every river in eastern North Carolina reached flooding stage. Floyd dropped 17 inches of rain, which only added to the flooding.

    The cyclone caught many people unprepared, and emergency crews had to make more than 1700 water rescues.

    Floyd traveled up the east coast and also brought major flooding to northeastern cities, destroying many homes and businesses and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power for days.

    The 1938 New England Hurricane floods Providence, R.I. Courtesy: AP

    The 1938 New England Hurricane: The New England Hurricane of 1938 first developed near the Cape Verde Islands on Sept. 9 and tracked toward the U.S.

    It continued up the east coast and eventually made landfall on Long Island, N.Y. as a major Category 3 hurricane on Sept. 21.

    Further inland, on the same day, the hurricane made a second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane between Bridgeport and New Haven.

    Storm tide reached close to 17 feet for areas, destroying many homes. Montauk temporarily became an Island.

    Many residents received little warning about the hurricane, which led to a deadly outcome. Around 500 to 700 people died.

    The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926: Back in 1926, the government centralized storm warnings from their D.C. office, then distributed those warnings to other weather offices.

    However, on the morning of Sept. 17, less than 24 hours before Florida felt the hurricane’s effects, the state didn’t receive any warnings. It wasn’t until the afternoon when the Miami Weather Bureau Office got the go ahead to post-tropical storm warnings.

    That same night, those warnings became hurricane warnings.

    By the morning on Sept. 18, the hurricane that no one prepared for made landfall in Miami, Fla. as a major Category 4 hurricane.

    The hurricane killed over 100 people in Miami.

    Many people were unfamiliar with hurricanes at the time, and while the eye was passing, they thought the hurricane was over.

    The calm lasted about 35 minutes before the wind battered the coast again, and a 10-foot storm surge quickly pushed water on land, leading to a massive amount of destruction.

    The 1800s

    The Cheniere Caminada Hurricane of 1893: Also known as The Great October Storm, it first developed in the Caribbean Sea, bringing impacts to the southern areas of Mexico.

    It then moved into the Gulf of Mexico and intensified to a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall on Cheniere Caminada, La., completely wiping the town off the map.

    Sixteen-foot storm surge flooded the entire town, and strong winds added to the destruction.

    Overall, over 2000 people died, making this hurricane one of the deadliest weather events in history.

    The 1875 Indianola Hurricane: Our last stop takes us to 1875 when a cyclone just started brewing off the coast of Africa on Sept. 1. It made its way west, intensifying, and first passing through the Caribbean.

    It emerged in the Gulf of Mexico where it slowly made its way to Category 3 status and made landfall on Sept. 16 near Indianola, Texas.

    The hurricane devastated the town, and wind gusts leveled many homes. Hundreds of people died when the storm surge washed everything away.

    The town tried to rebuild, but 11 years later, another hurricane destroyed the town, leaving the city to be abandoned.

    Atlantic hurricane season

    With the peak of hurricane season so close, we urge you to always stay prepared. This is when we see activity ramp up.

    96% of Category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes occur from mid-August to mid-October. This isn’t to say that all hurricanes that develop will make landfall in the U.S., but it is always best to stay prepared for any scenario.

    Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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  • Seven times July hurricanes caused major damage

    Seven times July hurricanes caused major damage

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    Tropical activity is typically still slow as we head into the official second month of the season. The National Hurricane Center only names, on average, one July storm per season.

    What You Need To Know

    • 169 hurricanes and tropical storms have formed in July in recorded history

    • Of those 169 storms, only 90 have brought impacts to the U.S.

    • Only a few storms have affected the U.S. in July in recent years.


    Even though the month is usually quiet, it doesn’t mean we haven’t seen strong storms in the past.

    Let’s take a look back at hurricanes that caused major damage during this time of the year.

    The 2000s

    Hurricane Hanna 2020: Our first hurricane takes us to the recent year 2020. Hanna first received its name on July 23 when it strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm.

    It continued to strengthen into a hurricane, then made landfall along Padre Island, Texas on July 25.

    Hanna brought storm surge, intense rainfall and flash flooding. Several EF0 tornadoes formed from the storms. Hanna also destroyed several mobile homes, and floodwaters from the hurricane inundated many low-lying areas.

    In the end, Hanna caused 1.1 billion dollars in damages and indirectly caused 5 deaths. This came only 3 years after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas coast.

    Strong winds from Isaias led to many downed trees. (AP Photo)

    Hurricane Isaias in 2020: Isaias became a tropical storm in the south-central Atlantic on July 29. It continued northwest and made its first landfall in the Dominican Republic on July 30. It made its second landfall on Aug. 1 on Andros Island in the Bahamas as a Category 1 hurricane. 

    Wind shear helped weaken the storm as it continued north off the east coast of Florida. As Isaias moved closer to the Carolinas, it became a Category 1 hurricane again before making its third landfall on Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. on Aug. 3. 

    Isaias brought devastating impacts to the U.S., triggering a tornado outbreak of 39 tornadoes from the Carolinas to Connecticut. The most powerful one, an EF3 in Bertie County, N.C., destroyed several mobile homes, killing two people and injuring 14.

    Storm surge along the South Carolina coast destroyed 483 homes in Myrtle Beach.

    As Isaias moved into the Northeast, strong winds, tornadoes and significant rain led to damaged homes and several fatalities.

    The peak of the storm left about 3 million people without power.

    Overall, there were 14 deaths in the U.S., and the Northeast saw about 3.5 billion dollars in damage, making it the costliest tropical cyclone to strike the region since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

    Hurricane Barry 2019: Hurricane Barry was an atypical storm from its inception. Unlike most tropical systems, Barry originated as a complex of thunderstorms over the Midwest before moving south into the Gulf of Mexico. It was there that it strengthened into a hurricane, becoming the first of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season.

    On July 13, Barry reached land in south-central Louisiana as a category 1 hurricane and caused significant rainfall. Ragley, Louisiana saw 23.58 inches of rain.

    In Dierks, Arkansas, Barry dropped 16.59 inches of rain, making it the most rain associated with a tropical system in the state’s history.

    Overall, flooding was the biggest threat. Numerous people had to be rescued from flood waters and homes experienced major flooding. The damage was estimated to be at $600 million.

    One interesting note is that Barry never took on the classic circular look of a hurricane and was asymmetrical throughout its entire life. 

    Hurricane Dolly floods South Padre Island, Texas.

    Hurricane Dolly 2008: Next, we head to 2008, where Hurricane Dolly made a huge impact across Texas and New Mexico.

    At its strongest, Dolly became a category 2 hurricane before weakening to a category 1 hurricane and making landfall in South Padre Island, Texas, on July 23.

    The effects of the storm were devastating, with damage estimated at $1.3 billion.

    Over 16 inches of rain fell in parts of Texas, causing flash flooding and major flooding for many cities.

    The rain continued to stream in and reached parts of New Mexico where rivers flooded and over 500 people had to be rescued.

    Interestingly, Dolly skipped the tropical depression phase, developing with tropical storm force winds, showing that not all tropical systems start as a cluster of basic thunderstorms.

    The 1900s

    Hurricane Danny causes destruction and flooding in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

    Hurricane Danny 1997: Hurricane Danny was a moisture-packed hurricane that made landfall in the United States during the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season.

    Danny formed from a non-tropical system south of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico on July 16 before becoming tropical by July 17. It strengthened into a category 1 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall on July 18 near Buras, Louisiana. Danny then moved back into the gulf waters, strengthening back into a Category 1 hurricane before making a second landfall near Mullet Point, Alabama, a day later.

    This was a slow-moving system that was able to stream copious amounts of moisture into it from the Gulf of Mexico. An estimated 36.71 inches of rain fell on Dauphin Island within 7 hours.

    Record flooding caused major damage to homes, making many roads impassable.

    Several tornadoes touched down and caused extensive damage.

    Danny ended up causing $100 million worth of damage and took the lives of nine people.

    It was the only hurricane to make landfall in the United States that year, but left quite an impression.

    Hurricane Celia destroys a mobile home park in Robstown, Texas.

    Hurricane Celia 1970: The strongest storm on our list is Hurricane Celia, which was the first major hurricane of the 1970 Atlantic hurricane season.

    Celia first formed on July 31 in the western Caribbean Sea and tracked northwest, where it rapidly intensified into a category 3 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Rough seas bashed against the west coast of Florida, causing eight people to drown.

    The hurricane continued to track west and finally made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas on Aug. 3.

    Winds were the main cause of destruction with Celia.

    Wind gusts reached 180 mph for numerous cities, and tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. Over 450 injuries were reported, and 28 people total lost their lives.

    Meteorologists release a weather balloon to collect weather data in the 1940s.

    Hurricane One in 1943: Our last stop takes us to the 1943 Atlantic hurricane season when Hurricane One hit the coast of Texas.

    This was the first hurricane that the now infamous Hurricane Hunters flew into to gather data. It was done on a dare, but done successfully, and forever changed how hurricanes were studied.

    This hurricane was also known as the “Surprise Hurricane”.

    During this time, meteorologists used radar and weather balloons to track weather activity on land. To track tropical activity off land, meteorologists almost completely relied on reports from ships at sea for tropical activity data.

    Because German boat activity was expected in the Gulf of Mexico, all ship radio broadcasts were silenced, including weather reports.

    Since information could not be relayed ahead of time, many people were unprepared for this hurricane.

    Hurricane One made landfall near the Houston and Galveston area on July 27 area where it brought wind gusts over 130 mph.

    Water was waist-deep throughout many cities. This led to hundreds of people being injured and various buildings being destroyed. 19 people were killed.

    After this hurricane, advisories were never censored from the public again. It was a lesson learned.

    Atlantic hurricane season

    As we go through July, remember we are only about a third of the way through the Atlantic hurricane season. Activity doesn’t peak until mid-August to late October.

    Be fully prepared. Have a hurricane kit, and plan to be ready all season long.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

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