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Subject: E14)What have been the most intense hurricanes
to strike the United States?
Contributed by Chris Landsea (NHC)
The most intense mainland
United States hurricanes
by central pressure
1851-2018
| RANK
| HURRICANE
| YEAR
| CATEGORY
(at landfall)
| MINIMUM PRESSURE
|
| Millibars
| Inches
|
| 1 | FL (Keys) | 1935 | 5 | 892 | 26.35
| | 2 | CAMILLE (MS/SE LA/VA) | 1969 | 5 | 900 | 26.58
| | 3 | MICHAEL (NW FL) | 2018 | 5 | 920 | 27.17
| | 4 | KATRINA (LA) | 2005 | 3 | 920 | 27.17
| | 5 | ANDREW (SE FL/SE LA) | 1992 | 5 | 922 | 27.23
| | 6 | TX (Indianola) | 1886 | 4 | 925 | 27.31
| | 7 | FL (Keys)/S TX | 1919 | 4 | 927 | 27.37
| | 8 | FL (Lake Okeechobee) | 1928 | 4 | 929 | 27.43
| | 9 | DONNA (FL/Eastern U.S.) | 1960 | 4 | 930 | 27.46
| | 10 | LA (New Orleans) | 1915 | 4 | 931 | 27.49
| | CARLA (N & Central TX) | 1961 | 4 | 931 | 27.49
| | 12 | LA (Last Island) | 1856 | 4 | 934 | 27.58
| | 13 | HUGO (SC) | 1989 | 4 | 934 | 27.58
| | 14 | FL (Miami)/MS/AL/Pensacola | 1926 | 4 | 935 | 27.61
| | 15 | TX (Galveston) | 1900 | 4 | 936 | 27.64
| | 16 | RITA (NE TX,W LA) | 2005 | 3 | 937 | 27.67
| | 17 | GA/FL (Brunswick) | 1898 | 4 | 938 | 27.70
| | 18 | HAZEL (SC/NC) | 1954 | 4 | 938 | 27.70
| | 19 | SE FL/SE LA/MS | 1947 | 4 | 940 | 27.76
| | 20 | N TX | 1932 | 4 | 941 | 27.79
| | CHARLEY (SW FL) | 2004 | 4 | 941 | 27.79
| | 22 | GLORIA (Eastern U.S.) | 1985 | 3& | 942 | 27.82
| | OPAL (NW FL/AL) | 1995 | 3& | 942 | 27.82
| | -- | SANDY (NJ/NY/CN) | 2012 | 1% | 942 | 27.82
| | 24 | FL (Central) | 1888 | 3 | 945 | 27.91
| | E NC | 1899 | 3 | 945 | 27.91
| | AUDREY (SW LA/N TX) | 1957 | 4# | 945 | 27.91
| | TX (Galveston) | 1915 | 4# | 945 | 27.91
| | CELIA (S TX) | 1970 | 3 | 945 | 27.91
| | ALLEN (S TX) | 1980 | 3 | 945 | 27.91
| | 30 | New England | 1938 | 3 | 946 | 27.94
| | FREDERIC (AL/MS) | 1979 | 3 | 946 | 27.94
| | IVAN (AL, NW FL) | 2004 | 3 | 946 | 27.94
| | DENNIS (NW FL) | 2005 | 3 | 946 | 27.94
| | 34 | NE U.S. | 1944 | 3 | 947 | 27.97
| | SC/NC | 1906 | 3 | 947 | 27.97
| | 36 | LA (Chenier Caminanda) | 1893 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | 36 | BETSY (SE FL/SE LA) | 1965 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | SE FL/NW FL | 1929 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | SE FL | 1933 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | S TX | 1916 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | MS/AL | 1916 | 3 | 948 | 27.99
| | 42 | NW FL | 1882 | 3 | 949 | 28.02
| | DIANA (NC) | 1984 | 3+ | 949 | 28.02
| | S TX | 1933 | 3 | 949 | 28.02
| | 45 | WILMA (SW FL) | 2005 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | GA/SC | 1854 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | LA/MS | 1855 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | LA/MS/AL | 1860 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | LA | 1879 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | BEULAH (S TX) | 1967 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | HILDA (Central LA) | 1964 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | GRACIE (SC) | 1959 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | TX (Central) | 1942 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | JEANNE (FL) | 2004 | 3 | 950 | 28.05
| | IKE (TX/LA) | 2008 | 2 | 950 | 28.05
| | 55 | SE FL | 1945 | 3 | 951 | 28.08
| | BRET (S TX) | 1999 | 3 | 951 | 28.08
| | 57 | LA (Grand Isle) | 1909 | 3 | 952 | 28.11
| | FL (Tampa Bay) | 1921 | 3 | 952 | 28.11
| | CARMEN (Central LA) | 1974 | 3 | 952 | 28.11
| | IRENE (NC) | 2011 | 1 | 952 | 28.11
| | SC/NC | 1885 | 3 | 953 | 28.14
| | S FL | 1906 | 3 | 953 | 28.14
| | 62 | GA/SC | 1893 | 3 | 954 | 28.17
| | EDNA (New England) | 1954 | 3 | 954 | 28.17
| | SE FL | 1949 | 3 | 954 | 28.17
| | FRAN (NC) | 1996 | 3 | 954 | 28.17
| | GUSTAV (LA) | 2008 | 2 | 954 | 28.17
| | 66 | SE FL | 1871 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | LA/TX | 1886 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | SC/NC | 1893 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | NW FL | 1894 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | ELOISE (NW FL) | 1975 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | KING (SE FL) | 1950 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | Central LA | 1926 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
| | SW LA | 1918 | 3 | 955 | 28.20
|
Notes :
Includes only major hurricanes at their most intense landfall.
&Highest category justified by winds.
#Classified 4 because of estimated winds.
+Cape Fear, NC area only; was a category 2 at final landfall.
%Storm post-tropical at landfall
ADDENDUM
non-CONUS storms
| RANK
| HURRICANE
| YEAR
| CATEGORY
(at landfall)
| MINIMUM PRESSURE
|
| Millibars
| Inches
|
| 4 | DAVID (S of PR) | 1979 | 4 | 924 | 27.29
| | 9 | San Felipe (PR) | 1928 | 5 | 931 | 27.49
| | 18 | HUGO (USVI & PR) | 1989 | 4 | 940 | 27.76
| | 44 | INIKI (KAUAI, HI) | 1992 | UNK | 950 | 27.91
| | 65 | DOT (KAUAI, HI) | 1959 | UNK | 955 | 28.11
|
Last updated: June 19, 2019
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