(br)=brush (ts)=Tropical Storm
(bd)=Back Door,meaning coming from over land from opposite coast.Not all names
are noted,also storms before 1950 were not named.Not every stat on every storm
description is given(since 1871). Years
within 60
miles 1872bdts,1874bdts,1876bd,1877xtropbd,1878bd,1879,1881bdts,1882-2bdts,1886bdtsbr,1888bdtsbr,1888tsbr,1889bdts,1893bdtsbr,1893ts,1894br,1894bd,1897ts,1899,1899bdtsbr,1901br, 1902bdxtropst,1904bdts,1908tsbr,1916xtropstbd,1918bdtsbr,1928bdts,1933,1933br(hurdat2),1935bdts,1936br,1944br,1944bdts,1946bdtsbr,1953br,1955ts,1955,1959bdts,1960bdts,1960bd, 1961bdts,1963ts(hurdat),1967ts,1971bdts,1981tsbr,1983tsbr,1984bdtsbr,1985br,1986,1992ts,1996,1996br,1996xtropstbr,1999,2003bd,2004tsbd,2004bdts,2008tsbdbr,2011,2012br, 2013bdxtropst,2016bdts,2016br,2018bdts,2019br,2020bdts,2020bdxts,2021bdts,2023bdtsbr 69
times in 152 yrs end of 2023
Names
from list
above Barbara,Connie,Brenda,Donna,Doria,Bret,Dean,Diana,Gloria,Charley,Danielle,Bertha,Fran,Josephine,Floyd,Isabel,Charley,Gaston,Hanna,Irene,Sandy,Andrea,Hermine,Matthew,Michael,Dorian,Isaias, Zeta,Elsa,Ophelia,
Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio TS=44, 63.77% H=25, 36.23%
Longest gap between storms 9 years 1919-1927 & 1972-1980
How often this area gets
affected? brushed or hit every 2.20 years
Average years between direct hurricane hits.(hurricane force winds for a couple of hours) (13h)once every 11.69 years State stats
Average years between major hurricane hits.(0) no data
Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts) 85mph
Statistically when this area should be affected
next before the end of 2026
This is just a statistical average & does
not mean the area will be affected by that year
Last affected by 2023 sept 23rd tropical storm Ophelia passes west with 45mph winds while becoming post tropical,area had gust's to 59mph.
This areas hurricane past 1876 September 17 ,75mph to the west from the south. Average 5 minute wind speed at Cape Henry was 78 mph; 8.32" of rain. Great destruction of crops & teers,streets littered with fences & debris.
1878 Oct 23rd from the south 90mph hurricane hits just west by 37 miles with a press of 28.78 eye made landfall at Cape Fear and moved north across Richmond and Washington DC.Ship A.S Davis sinks in hurricane 19 men lost.Huge surge through Chesapeake region & along Delmarva shore with highest tides since 1821.
1879 August 18th 105mph from the SSW the eye passed about 30 miles east of Norfolk. Tide in Norfolk 7.77 ft at Low tide. Average 5-minute wind speed at Cape Henry was 76 mph with estimated gusts to 100 mph. Fastest 1 minute at Norfolk was 72 mph and the pressure reached 29.26 inches 1894 Oct 10th,75mph from the SSW passes just east by 24 miles. 1899 Aug 18th,90mph from the S.E passes just east by 44 miles before turning away from Norfolk. 1933 Aug 23rd 75mph weakening to tropical storm from the SSE (hurdat2). video 1955 August 13th,Hurricane Connie still a hurricane with 80mph winds (hurdat) while weakening moving north passes directly over.
1960 September 12 ,110mph- DONNA passes 42 miles to S.E. Fastest I minute wind speed was 73mph at Norfolk Airport, 80 mph at Cape Henry and estimated 138 mph at Chesapeake Light , 3 deaths. Article
1986 Aug 18th from SSW Hurricane Charley hits after passing over East N.C with 80mph winds,Norfolk on weak side of storm. 1996 July 13th Hurricane Bertha approaches from the SSW with 75mph while weakening to tropical storm.
1999 sept 16 hurricane Floyd passes directly over the area with 75mph winds from the south,causes heavy flooding of souns from storm surge as well as from very heavy rain. Lowest Pressure 28.85" - 977 MB - 4 th lowest of record. 10-20" of rain on saturated ground resulted in 500 year flood of record for Franklin, VA. WFO Wakefield was inaccessible for 36 hours.
2003 Sept 18th Hurricane Isabel,closest passage of 42 miles to SW with 90mph winds.This Cat 1 downgrading to TS status caused high wind gusts to 80mph in Norfolk. This caused some structural damage & many trees down.Newspaper headline | surge animation | USGS surge info | hit map
2011 Aug 27th, Hurricane Irene passes just east with 80mph winds while moving NNE causing minor damage. Norfolk sets daily rainfall record from Aug 27th of 7.92 inches or rain.Highest gust in Norfolk was 55mph with sustained around 40mph. Hurricane Warning Show | Irene model history | Radar animation | USGS surge info | hit map
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Norfolk,Virginia's history with tropical
systems
