List of Azores hurricanes explained

The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, has experienced the effects of at least 21 Atlantic hurricanes, or storms that were once tropical or subtropical cyclones. The most recent storm to affect the archipelago was Tropical Storm Gaston in 2022.

1990s

• September 11, 1991 - Tropical Storm Erika struck São Miguel Island with wind gusts of up to 67mph.
• September 27, 1992 - Tropical Storm Charley struck Terceira Island, producing wind gusts of 82mph at Lajes Field.^[1]
• September 30, 1992 - Just days after the previous storm, Tropical Storm Bonnie moved through the central Azores. Wind gusts reached 59mph at Lajes Field.^[2] One man was killed by a rock fall on São Miguel.^[3]
• November 1, 1995 - Tropical Storm Tanya transitioned into an extratropical storm before moving through the Azores. The storm produced wind gusts of 105mph. Tanya knocked down trees and power lines, sank several boats, and damaged houses. A fisherman drowned amid high waves in the archipelago.^[4]
• September 15, 1997 - Tropical Storm Erika brushed the western Azores, producing wind gusts of 105mph on a 200feet tower at Lajes. The storm dropped up to 2.35inches of rain in Flores, where gusts reached 87mph.^[5]

• September 30, 1998 - Tropical Storm Jeanne transitioned into an extratropical cyclone while approaching the Azores. It produced wind gusts of 40mph on Horta Island.^[6]

2000s

• April 27, 2003 - an extratropical cyclone, formerly Tropical Storm Ana, passed south of the Azores, producing 0.87inches of rainfall at Ponta Delgada.^[7]
• October 4, 2005 - a subtropical storm moved through the eastern Azores,^[8] producing wind gusts of 59mph on Santa Maria Island.^[9]
• September 20, 2006 - Hurricane Gordon passed through the Azores between the islands of Santa Maria and São Miguel; a station on the former island recorded sustained winds of 56mph, with gusts to 82mph.^[10] Overall impact was limited to toppled trees and power lines, leaving portions of Santa Maria Island without electrical service.^[11]
• October 4, 2009 - an extratropical cyclone transitioned into Tropical Storm Grace near São Miguel Island, producing wind gusts of 44mph at Ponta Delgada on São Miguel.^[12]

2010s

• August 20, 2012 - Hurricane Gordon made landfall on Santa Maria Island with winds of 75mph. Gordon produced wind gusts of 81mph on the island, and triggered a few landslides. The winds knocked down trees, damaged windows, and briefly cut power. Waves 21feet in height caused flooding along the coast.^[13]
• September 21, 2012 - Tropical Storm Nadine transitioned into an extratropical cyclone as it approached within 260miles southwest of the Azores. The storm producing wind gusts of 81mph on Faial Island. Nadine turned southeast away from the archipelago, and spent the next 13 days moving across the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Nadine again transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 4, and later that day moved through the central Azores, producing wind gusts of 87mph at the Wind Power Plant on Santa Maria.^[14]
• December 7, 2013 - A subtropical storm approached the western Azores and degenerated into a trough. The storm produced gusts to 54mph on Santa Maria Island.^[15]
• January 5, 2016 - Tropical Storm Alex made landfall on Terceira Island, hours after weakening below hurricane status.^[16] Rainfall totaled 4.04inches in Lagoa, São Miguel.^[17] Wind gusts reached 57mph in Ponta Delgada.^[18] One person suffering a heart attack died as an indirect result of Alex when turbulence from the storm hindered their emergency helicopter from taking off in time.^{[19] [20]} Alex triggered a few landslides, and damaged homes from its winds.^[21]
• September 2, 2016 - Hurricane Gaston transitioned into an extratropical cyclone near the Azores, producing wind gusts of 52mph on Flores and Faial islands.^[22]
• October 14, 2017 - Hurricane Ophelia passed south of the Azores as the easternmost major hurricane on record. The hurricane produced wind gusts of 44mph on São Miguel.^[23]
• September 15, 2018 - Tropical Storm Helene passed west of the Azores, where it was estimated to have produced tropical storm force winds.^[24]
• October 2, 2019 - Hurricane Lorenzo passed near the western Azores, producing wind gusts of 163abbr=onNaNabbr=on on Corvo Island.^[25] At the Port of Lajes das Flores port building and some cargo containers were swept away, while the dock itself was partially damaged.^[26] Total damage across the island chain were around €330 million (US$362 million).^[27]
• October 27, 2019 - Tropical Storm Pablo passed just to the southeast of the Azores as it was intensifying, bringing gusty winds as high as 55mph in some places and large waves to the islands.^{[28] [29] [30]}
• October 31, 2019 - Subtropical Storm Rebekah passed to the north of The Azores as it was dissipating, bringing only negligible effects.
• November 25, 2019 - Tropical Storm Sebastien transitioned into an extratropical storm near the western Azores, bringing wind gusts of 55mph to Ponta Delgada.^[31]

2020s

• September 17–18, 2020 - The extratropical remnants of Hurricane Paulette moved through the islands.
• September 23–25, 2022 - Tropical Storm Gaston passes through the islands, bringing heavy rains and wind gusts of 41mph.^{[32] [33]}

Deadly storms

The following is a list of Atlantic tropical storms that caused fatalities in the Azores.

Name	Year	Number of deaths
	1992	1
	1995	1
	2016	1

See also

• Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
• Tropical cyclone effects in Europe

Notes and References

1. Hurricane Charley Preliminary Report. 2. Max Mayfield. November 14, 1992. National Hurricane Center. November 17, 2011.
2. Richard J. Pasch. December 1, 1992. Preliminary Report: Hurricane Bonnie 17-30 September 1992. National Hurricane Center. 2013-02-25. 2.
3. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1992. B. Max Mayfield . Lixion A. Avila . Edward N. Rappaport . March 1994. National Hurricane Center. 2013-02-25.
4. Web site: European Parliament . 1995 . Resolution on Hurricane Tanya . European Union . 2006-12-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080623112207/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/dg7/calendrier/data/pv_adopt/en/text/951116EN.htm . 2008-06-23 . dead .
5. Web site: Miles B. Lawrence. 1997-10-24. Hurricane Erika Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. November 26, 2019.
6. Hurricane Jeanne Preliminary Report. Richard J. Pasch. February 8, 1999. National Hurricane Center. November 26, 2019.
7. Web site: Gary Padgett. 2003. April 2003 Global Tropical Cyclone Summary. 2007-12-15.
8. Web site: National Hurricane Center. 2006-04-10. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL212005_Unnamed}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Subtropical Storm ]. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2006-10-31. PDF.
9. Web site: Computer Generated. Weather Underground. 2005-10-04. 2008-08-07. History for Santa Maria, Azores: Tuesday, October 4, 2005.
10. Web site: Eric Blake. 2006-11-14. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL082006_Gordon}} Hurricane Gordon Tropical Cyclone Report]. National Hurricane Center. 2011-05-03. PDF.
11. News: Staff Writer. BBC News. 2006-09-20. Azores escape worst of hurricane. 2011-05-07.
12. Web site: Robbie Berg. National Hurricane Center. November 28, 2009. November 22, 2015. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL092009_Grace}} Tropical Storm Grace Tropical Cyclone Report]. PDF.
13. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL082012_Gordon}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Gordon]. National Hurricane Center. Lixion A. Avila. January 16, 2013. April 20, 2013. PDF. 1–2. Miami, Florida.
14. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL142012_Nadine}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Nadine]. Daniel P. Brown. January 8, 2013. National Hurricane Center. February 18, 2013. Miami, Florida. PDF. 1–4, 6–8, 12.
15. Eric Blake. Todd Kimberlain. John Beven II. Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Subtropical Storm. February 7, 2014. National Hurricane Center. April 17, 2014. Miami, FL.
16. Eric S. Blake. National Hurricane Center. September 13, 2016. September 14, 2016. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL012016_Alex}} Hurricane Alex]. Tropical Cyclone Report.
17. Web site: Weather Underground. January 15, 2016. January 15, 2016. Lagoa IAZORESL2. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727194839/https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IAZORESL2/graph/2016-01-15/2016-01-15/daily. July 27, 2019. live.
18. Web site: The Weather Channel. January 15, 2016. January 15, 2016. Rare January Hurricane Alex Landfalls in The Azores as a Tropical Storm. https://web.archive.org/web/20160115012932/http://www.weather.com//storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-alex-atlantic-ocean-azores. January 15, 2016. live.
19. News: Portuguese . Lusa News Agency . Público. January 16, 2016 . January 17, 2016 . Furacão Alex impede socorro da Força Aérea e doente morre . January 19, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160119005527/http://www.publico.pt/sociedade/noticia/furacao-alex-impede-socorro-da-forca-aerea-e-doente-morre-1720408 . dead . mdy-all .
20. Government of the Azores. October 2017. July 26, 2019. Identificação e Avaliação de Impactes, Vulnerabilidades e Opçōes de Adaptação às Alteraçōes Climáticas. Programa Regional de Alteraçōes Climáticas dos Açores. 48. Portuguese. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727040358/http://servicos-sraa.azores.gov.pt/grastore/DSMALL/PRAC/RelatorioAdaptacao_SegurancaPessoasBens_VersaoConsultaPublica.pdf. July 27, 2019. live.
21. News: Portuguese . Ana Dias Cordeiro . Lusa News Agency. . January 15, 2016 . January 15, 2016 . Furacão Alex passou a tempestade tropical depois de ter atravessado os Açores . September 25, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160925015846/https://www.publico.pt/sociedade/noticia/acores-sem-incidentes-nos-primeiros-efeitos-do-furacao-alex-1720289?page=-1 . dead . mdy-all .
22. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL072016_Gaston}} Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Gaston]. Daniel P. Brown. January 11, 2017. May 12, 2017. 2, 3. National Hurricane Center. PDF.
23. Stewart. Stacy R.. National Hurricane Center. 27 March 2018. 1 April 2018. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL172017_Ophelia}} Hurricane Ophelia]. Tropical Cyclone Report. PDF.
24. John P. Cangialosi. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL082018_Helene}} Hurricane Helene Tropical Cyclone Report]. July 20, 2019. National Hurricane Center. PDF.
25. News: "Lorenzo" com rajada máxima de 163 km/h no Corvo. Portuguese. Jornal de Notícias. October 2, 2019. October 2, 2019.
26. News: Hatton . Barry . Hurricane Lorenzo batters mid-Atlantic Azores Islands . October 4, 2019 . ABC News . Associated Press . October 2, 2019.
27. News: Furacão "Lorenzo" provocou prejuízos de 330 milhões de euros. Portuguese. Jornal de Notícias. October 14, 2019. October 14, 2019.
28. Web site: Tropical Storm PABLO.
29. Web site: Tropical Storm PABLO.
30. Web site: AL182019_Pablo . www.nhc.noaa.gov.
31. Daniel P. Brown. [{{NHC TCR url|id=AL202019_Sebastien}} Tropical Storm Sebastien Tropical Cyclone Report]. National Hurricane Center. February 3, 2020. February 5, 2020. PDF.
32. Web site: Gaston turns post-tropical in the eastern Atlantic . 2022-12-21 . spectrumnews1.com . en.
33. Web site: Tropical Storm GASTON . 2022-12-21 . www.nhc.noaa.gov.