Dangerous August Hurricanes

Hurricane Dean nearing the Yucatan Peninsula  (Source: NOAA)

While the period from 1995 – 2005 saw multiple devastating hurricanes such as Floyd, Charley and Katrina, there have been significant August hurricanes since then.  Some have had direct impacts on the United States, while others have been noteworthy for other reasons. 

 

Isaac (2012): While only a Category 1 hurricane at peak intensity with sustained winds of 80 mph, there was some uncertainty with the storm track.  Initially, Isaac caused anxiety as it entered the Gulf of Mexico the same time as the 2012 Republican National Convention met in Tampa, Florida.  Ultimately, Isaac tracked well west of the Gulf Coast of Florida and made landfall from Mississippi to Alabama.

Irene (2011):  Irene was the first major hurricane of 2011.  However, Irene weakened to Category 1 status before its first landfall in North Carolina.  Its impacts were far reaching from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.  According to the National Hurricane Center, Irene remains the seventh costliest hurricane on record in the United States ($15.6 billion in damage).

Earl (2010): Earl was a long-lived “Cape Verde” hurricane that was a named storm from August 25 through September 5.  At peak intensity over the open ocean, Earl was a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph.  Fortunately, it weakened considerably before it tracked east of the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. coast.  While it never made landfall, Earl caused higher than average surf and dangerous rip currents up and down the East Coast.  The last major hurricane to impact New England remains 1991’s Hurricane Bob.

Dean (2007):  Although Dean was a Category 5 hurricane, it never threatened the U.S. mainland.  At peak intensity, Dean had sustained winds of 175 mph and a minimum central pressure of 905 millibars that made it the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Wilma two years earlier.  Dean was also the first Atlantic hurricane since Andrew in 1992 to make landfall at Category 5 intensity, which occurred on August 21 along Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.  Since Irene and Dean were such deadly and destructive hurricanes, the World Meteorological Organization retired their names.  

The last major hurricane to develop in the Atlantic Ocean during the month of August was last year’s Gaston, which reached Category 3 status (120 mph peak sustained winds).  However, Gaston remained over the central Atlantic Ocean and didn’t have any direct impacts on land.  NOAA recently issued its updated hurricane forecast and is expecting a busier than average 2017 hurricane season.