Remembering a devastating hurricane

Hurricane Fran at landfall (Source: NOAA)

Although the tropical Atlantic has been unusually quiet over the last month, it wasn’t the case during this week 28 years ago. Hurricane Fran made landfall in North Carolina on September 6, 1996, as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph. Fran remains the last “major” Category 3 or higher hurricane to make landfall in North Carolina.

Fran’s effects were far-reaching with significant damage as far west as Ohio and as far north as New England. Areas in and around the nation’s capital saw tropical storm force wind gusts and several inches of rain. Although they have since been broken (2008), both National (1.55”) and Dulles Airports (3.62”) had September 6 rainfall records from the remnants of Fran. Fran caused a total of $10 billion in damages adjusted for inflation to 2024, according to NOAA, along with 26 fatalities. 

Since Fran, several hurricanes have made landfall in North Carolina with two, in particular, that stand out. Floyd caused extensive flooding in the DMV in September 1999 just a few weeks after Hurricane Dennis impacted many of the same areas. Just four years later, the remnants of Hurricane Isabel brought damaging wind gusts that caused widespread power outages in September 2003. Significant flooding along the Chesapeake Bay also occurred during Isabel. 

The names “Fran,” “Floyd” and “Isabel” have all been retired by the World Meteorological Organization.