Wilmington, North Carolina's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Wilmington Major Hurricane History Video

(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)

Wilmington most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 21st and September 27th

Years within or near core

1872ts
1873bdtsbr
1874bdbr
1876
1877bdxtropstbr
1878tsbr
1878
1879m
1880
1881
1882tsbr
1882br
1883
1885bd
1887-2brm
1888ts
1893bdts
1893
1894-2tsbd
1897tsbr
1899
1901ts
1904tsbr
1906br
1907xtropts
1908
1910xtroptsbr
1910ts
1913-2tsbr
1916bdts
1916ts
1918tsbr
1920
1925xtropstbr
1928bdts
1934ts
1935bdtsbr
1944
1945ts
1946ts
1949ts (HURDAT)
1954m
1955br
1955brm
1955
1958m
1960bdts
1960
1961ts
1962tsbr
1963br
1964bdts
1968br
1971-2tsbr
1981ts
1982subtropst
1984m
1985bdts
1986tsbr
1989brm
1995xtropstbd
1996ts
1996-2
1996xtropst
1998m
1998xtropstbd
1999-2br
1999
2004
2005
2006ts
2007xtropst
2008ts
2011br
2013bdtsbr
2014br
2015ts
2016bdts
2016br
2018
2018bdtsbr
2019br
2020
2021bdtsbr
2022ts
2023bdtsbr
2023ts
2024ts
(2025ts not in stats)

94 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (D storms most likely to impact the area)

Hazel
Connie
Diane
Ione
Helene
Brenda
Donna
Alma
Ginny
Dora
Gladys
Doria
Ginger
Dennis
Diana
Kate
Charley
Hugo
Allison
Arthur
Bertha
Fran
Josephine
Bonnie
Earl
Dennis
Floyd
Irene
Charley
Ophelia
Ernesto
Barry
Hanna
Irene
Andrea
Arthur
Ana
Hermine
Matthew
Florence
Michael
Dorian
Isaias
Elsa
Ian
Idalia
Ophelia
Debby
Chantal

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 53, 56.38%
H = 41, 43.62%

only 10.59% of all tropical systems affecting Wilmington are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1972-1980

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.63 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)

Once every 6.12 years. (25 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 30.6 years. (5 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

97 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Impacted by TS Chantal in 2025

Last affected by

2025 July 6th Tropical Storm Chantal hits with 60 mph winds to the south.

This area's hurricane history

1876 September 17th 90 mph just east while moving north
1878 October 22nd, 105 mph to the east from the south
1879 August 18th a hurricane hits just east from the south with 115 mph winds.
1880 September 9th just east with 80 mph winds from the southwest.
1881 September 9th, 105 mph from the southeast
1883 September 11th, 85 mph from the south nearly 100 killed.
1885 a back door hurricane hits with 90 mph winds August 25th from the west-southwest
1893 October 13th, 95 mph to the west from the south
1899 October 31st, 100 mph to the west from the south
1908 July 31st, 80 mph to the east from the south.
1920 September 22nd, 75 mph from the south-southeast
1944 August 1st, 75 mph rep in Oak Island.
1954 Hurricane Hazel October 15th, 130mph (HURDAT) just west from the south. 8.2 foot storm surge, even well inland up in Baltimore a 6 foot tide was reported, Washington D.C. 100 mph. The winds & tides caused great destruction.The weather bureau at Wilmington N.C recorded a sustained 5 minute wind of 61 mph with the fastest at 82 mph & a gust to 98 mph. The lowest pressure was 28.68 inches. The loss of homes in the Carolinas was 1,635 homes destroyed and 16,655 damaged. Newspaper headlines | Hazel surge in Ft Fisher compared to other hurricanes | Hurricane Hazel page
1955 Hurricane Diane hits with 75 mph winds August 17th (HURDAT) while weakening to a tropical storm.
1958 September 27th Hurricane Helene, 125 mph (HURDAT) from the southeast while turing northeast gusts to 135 mph north-northeast mostly stayed offshore. Heavy damage reported at beach resorts.North winds of 85 mph on the 27th at 1:01 pm. Rainfall 8.29 inches, tides 9 feet. NHC notes | Newspaper clip
1960 Hurricane Donna just offshore September 11th from the south-southwest with 110 mph winds causing moderate damage here as peak winds were 97 mph. More here
1984 September 11th Hurricane Diana 120 mph just east from the south-southwest before looping fully onshore as a cat 2. Wind map | Newspaper article #1 | Newspaper article #2 | Newspaper article #3
1996 Hurricane Bertha 105 mph pressure 28.85 July 12th from the south. Richard Horodner surf city | Newspaper article | Radar | NHC final report
1996 Hurricane Fran hits September 5th with 105 mph winds from the south-southeast most higher winds were to the north in Top sail beach.press 28.23 area had gusts to 105 mph heavy damage to north in topsail bch area & surf city over 1 billion dollars damage 23 killed storm surge approximately 16ft. Jim Leonard in Carolina beach | Newspaper headline | #2 | Satelite image | Damage in Topsail | Average model error | NHC final report | USGS surge info
1998 Hurricane Bonnie August 26th, 115 mph from the south while turning northeast, pressure 28.48 inHg moderate damage. NHC final report | USGS surge info
1999 September 16th Hurricane Floyd hit just east with 110 mph winds from the south, dumps nearly 20 inches of rain here & causes heavy damage to north on oak island.New Hanover county reported 10 ft storm surge on sound side of Masonboro. A record 13.38 invhes fell in 24 hrs. Jim Leonard in Wilmington | NHC final report
2004 August 14th Hurricane Charley hits with 75 mph winds from the south-southwest after hitting Florida, Minor structural damage. NHC final report
2005 September 14th Hurricane Ophelia passes just east with 85 mph winds from the south, western eyewall over wilmington for a couple of hours. Widespread power outages & some minor roof damage & trees down. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Ophelia Satellite image "Wind damage caused by tropical storms and hurricanes can down the trees around your property. NHC final report
2018 September 14th, Hurricane Florence hits with 90 mph winds while moving very slowly causing massive flooding killing 15 people in North Carolina. Wilmington gust to 105 mph, 962MB up to 6 ft storm surge, between 20 & 30 inches of rain. Best track data with final model error | River flooding maps | NOAA team looks at damage | Short range radar at landfall (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Our coverage as it happened
2020 August 4th Hurricane Isaias passes 20 miles to the west while moving north-northeast with 85 mph winds. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Hit map

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Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......