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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.

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