List of North Carolina hurricanes (pre-1900) explained

The list of North Carolina hurricanes before 1900 encompasses 139 tropical cyclones that affected the U.S. state of North Carolina. Collectively, cyclones in North Carolina during the time period resulted in over 775 direct fatalities during the period. Seven cyclones affected the state in the 1893 season, which was the year with the most tropical cyclones impacting the state during the time period. From the beginning of the official North Atlantic hurricane record in 1851 to 1899, there were 12 years without a known tropical cyclone affecting the state. The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the official record was the San Ciriaco hurricane of 1899, which struck the state with winds of 120abbr=onNaNabbr=on,[1] although the 1821 Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane may have been stronger.

Historical data prior to 1700 is sparse due to lack of significant European settlements along the coastline; the few storms listed are largely records from Roanoke Colony and later the Province of Carolina. Modern meteorologists believe early storms were tropical cyclones, though due to the time period confirmation is impossible.[2] One theory explaining the disappearance of Roanoke Colony suggests a hurricane destroyed the village, though there is no evidence to prove the theory. It is considered unlikely due to lack of damage to a fence around the village, on which the villagers left an inscription.[3]

Pre-1700

1700s

1800–1849

1850–1859

1860–1869

1870–1879

1880–1889

1890–1899

Deadly storms

The table lists hurricanes by death tolls; hurricanes that caused an unknown number of deaths are excluded.

NameYearNumber of deaths
Unnamed 1857 424
Independence Hurricane 1775 163
1837 90
Unnamed 1883 53
Unnamed 1772 50
1899 20+
Unnamed 1842 8
Expedition Hurricane 1861 7
Unnamed 1815 4
1878 4
Unnamed 1827 2
Unnamed 1876 2
Unnamed 1899 1

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hurricane Research Division. 2007. Continental U.S. Hurricanes: 1851 to 1914. 2008-01-04. 2011-05-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20110525211949/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/usland1851-1914-gt.txt. live.
  2. Web site: James E. Hudgins. 2000. Tropical Cyclones Affecting North Carolina since 1566 – An Historical Perspective. Blacksburg, Virginia National Weather Service. 2007-12-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20070311045226/http://repository.wrclib.noaa.gov/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=nws_tech_memos . 2007-03-11.
  3. Web site: JG. The Lost Colony of Roanoke, 1588. 2007-12-18. 2007-12-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20071217105646/http://theshadowlands.net/roanoke.htm. live.
  4. Web site: Edward N. Rappaport and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. 1997. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996: Cyclones that may have 25+ deaths. National Hurricane Center. 2007-12-18. 2006-06-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20060628123021/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp2.shtml. live.
  5. Web site: David Roth & Hugh Cobb. 2001. Sixteenth Century Virginia Hurricanes. 2007-12-18. NOAA. 2013-09-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20130922022041/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/va16hur.htm. live.
  6. Web site: Thomas Jefferson. Virginia Records Timeline: 1553-1743. Library of Congress, Manuscript Division. 2007-12-18. 2007-12-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20071211190744/http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/mtjvatm.html. live.
  7. Web site: Abby Yochelson and Jay Sweany. 2001. Mystery of the Lost Colony. Library of Congress. 2007-12-18. 2007-12-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20071229145210/http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0112/miller.html. live.
  8. Book: David M. Ludlum. 1963. 9. Early American Hurricanes, 1492-1870. American Meteorological Society. 2007-12-18. 2011-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605075437/http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&docId=984995. live.
  9. Web site: David Roth & Hugh Cobb. 2001. Eighteenth Century Virginia Hurricanes. 2007-12-18. NOAA. 2013-05-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20130501032117/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/va18hur.htm. live.
  10. Web site: Edward N. Rappaport and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. 1997. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996. National Hurricane Center. 2007-12-18. 2006-06-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20060613202314/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp1.shtml. live.
  11. Web site: Michael Chenoweth. 2006. A Reassessment of Historical Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclone Activity, 1700-1855. NOAA. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2012-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20120208095048/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/Chenoweth/chenoweth06.pdf. live.
  12. Book: David M. Ludlum. 1963. 26. Early American Hurricanes, 1492-1870. American Meteorological Society. 2007-12-23. 2011-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605075521/http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&docId=985012. live.
  13. Web site: Brian H. Bossak and James B. Elsner. 2003. Track Map for September 1804 Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182107/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1804/storm1_track.pdf. live.
  14. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The Great Coastal Hurricane of 1806. Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182618/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1806/storm1_ludlum.pdf. live.
  15. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The North Carolina Hurricane of 1815. Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911183357/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1815/storm1_ludlum.pdf. live.
  16. Web site: Barnes. 2003. The North Carolina Hurricane of 1815 (2). Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911183406/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1815/storm1_other.pdf. live.
  17. Web site: Brian H. Bossak and James B. Elsner. 2003. Track Map for August 1817 Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182423/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1817/storm1_track.pdf. live.
  18. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. 1821 Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-24. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182942/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1821/storm1_pt1_ludlum.pdf. live.
  19. Web site: Brian H. Bossak and James B. Elsner. 2003. Track Map for September 1824 Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-23. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182308/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1824/storm1_track.pdf. live.
  20. Web site: Dunn and Miller. 2003. Storm 1 of 1827. Florida State University. 2007-12-24. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911181818/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1827/storm1_other.pdf. live.
  21. Web site: David Roth & Hugh Cobb. 2001. Early Nineteenth Century Virginia Hurricanes. 2007-12-24. NOAA. 2007-06-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20070629082628/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaerly19hur.htm. live.
  22. Web site: Brian H. Bossak and James B. Elsner. 2003. Track Map for August 1830 Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-24. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182931/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1830/storm2_track.pdf. live.
  23. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. October Coastal Hurricane of 1830. Florida State University. 2007-12-24. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182822/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1830/storm3_ludlum.pdf. live.
  24. Web site: Brian H. Bossak and James B. Elsner. 2003. Track Map for September 1835 Hurricane. Florida State University. 2007-12-25. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911181828/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1835/storm2_track.pdf. live.
  25. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The Key West Hurricane of October 1841. Florida State University. 2007-12-26. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182421/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1841/storm3_ludlum.pdf. live.
  26. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The Gulf to Bermuda Hurricane of 1842. Florida State University. 2007-12-26. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182012/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1842/storm7_ludlum.pdf. live.
  27. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The Cuban and Florida Straits Hurricane of 1844. Florida State University. 2007-12-26. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182714/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1844/storm4_pt2_ludlum.pdf. live.
  28. Web site: David Ludlum. 2003. The Key West Hurricane of 1846. Florida State University. 2007-12-26. PDF. 2016-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911182410/http://myweb.fsu.edu/jelsner/temp/HHITProject/HHITyears/1846/storm2_pt2_ludlum.pdf. live.
  29. Web site: Hurricane Research Division . 2007 . Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes . NOAA . 2008-01-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604063810/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_master.html . 2011-06-04 .
  30. Web site: U.S. War Department. 1875. September 1875 Monthly Weather Review. 2008-01-01. PDF. 2008-10-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20081008111348/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1875.pdf. live.
  31. Web site: David Roth & Hugh Cobb. 2000. Gale of '78. NOAA. 2008-01-01. 2013-03-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20130318014114/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/galeof78.htm. live.
  32. Web site: U.S. Weather Bureau. 1885. Monthly Weather Review. 2008-01-02. PDF. 2006-10-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20061014044111/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd//hurdat/mwr_pdf/1885.pdf. live.
  33. Web site: U.S. Weather Bureau. 1891. Monthly Weather Review. 2008-01-02. PDF. 2008-08-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20080829180058/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1891.pdf. live.
  34. Web site: U.S. Weather Bureau. 1893. Monthly Weather Review. 2008-01-02. PDF. 2006-10-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20061014114537/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd//hurdat/mwr_pdf/1893.pdf. live.
  35. Web site: David Roth & Hugh Cobb. 2001. Early Nineteenth Century Virginia Hurricanes. 2008-01-02. NOAA. 2008-01-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20080108155833/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/valate19hur.htm. live.
  36. Web site: U.S. Weather Bureau. 1896. Monthly Weather Review. 2008-01-02. PDF. 2006-10-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20061014124207/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd//hurdat/mwr_pdf/1896.pdf. live.