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The Deadliest Hurricanes in the United States 1900-1996

The top 30 cyclones for the U.S. mainland are listed.
RANKING HURRICANE YEAR CATEGORY DEATHS
1. TX (Galveston) 1900 4 8000+
2. FL (Lake Okeechobee) 1928 4 1836
3. FL (Keys)/S. TX 1919 4 600#
4. NEW ENGLAND 1938 3* 600
5. FL (Keys) 1935 5 408
6. AUDREY (SW LA/N TX) 1957 4 390
7. NE U.S. 1944 3* 390@
8. LA (Grand Isle) 1909 4 350
9. LA (New Orleans) 1915 4 275
10. TX (Galveston) 1915 4 275
11. CAMILLE (MS/LA) 1969 5 256
12. FL (Miami)/MS/AL/Pensacola 1926 4 243
13. DIANE (NE U.S.) 1955 1 184
14. SE FL 1906 2 164
15. MS/AL/Pensacola 1906 3 134
16. AGNES (NE U.S.) 1972 1 122
17. HAZEL (SC/NC) 1954 4* 95
18. BETSY (SE FL/SE LA) 1965 3 75
19. CAROL (NE U.S.) 1954 3* 60
20. SE FL/LA/MS 1947 4 51
21. DONNA (FL/Eastern U.S.) 1960 4 50
22. GA/SC/NC 1940 2 50
23. CARLA (TX) 1961 4 46
24. TX (Velasco) 1909 3 41
25. TX (Freeport) 1932 4 40
26. S TX 1933 3 40
27. HILDA (LA) 1964 3 38
28. SW LA 1918 3 34
29. SW FL 1910 3 30
30. ALBERTO (NW FL/GA/AL) 1994 TS& 30
ADDENDUM (Pre-1900 or not Atlantic/Gulf Coast):
2. LA 1893 Unk 2000
2-3. SC/GA 1893 Unk 1000-2000
3. GA/SC 1881 Unk 700
9. San Felipe (Puerto Rico) 1928 4 312
13. U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico 1932 2 225
17. DONNA (St. Thomas, VI) 1960 4 107
24. Southern California 1939 TS& 45
24. ELOISE (Puerto Rico) 1975 TS& 44

+ - May actually been as high as 10,000 to 12,000.
# - Over 500 of these lost on ships at sea; 600-900 estimated deaths.
* - Moving more than 30 miles an hour.
@ - Some 344 of these lost on ships at sea.
& - Only of Tropical Storm intensity.
Unk - Intensity not sufficiently known to establish category.

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.

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