August storms can be catastrophic

 

Hurricane Charley, August 2004 (Source: NOAA)

The hurricane season often gets much busier during the month of August. Below are some of the high-impact August hurricanes that made landfall in the United States in recent decades.

Ida (2021): Ida reached peak intensity over the northern Gulf of Mexico as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph. It made landfall at Category 4 intensity in Port Fourchon, Louisiana on August 29. It caused widespread damage not only along the U.S. Gulf Coast, but inland areas as well. 

The D.C. Metropolitan Area had heavy rain and severe weather due to the remnants of Ida. A September 1 rainfall record of 4.13” was reported at BWI Airport. Several tornadoes were reported in the DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia), including an EF-2 in Anne Arundel County that caused a lot of damage in suburban Annapolis, Maryland. Ida ranks as the sixth costliest hurricane in U.S. history with $84.6 billion worth of damage (2024 dollars), according to NOAA. Ida also claimed nearly 100 lives in the United States.

Harvey (2017): Harvey was a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph at peak intensity. When Harvey made landfall in Texas late on August 25, it was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Wilma in 2005. Unfortunately, Harvey was a slow moving storm that left widespread damage both at the coast and inland. 

Devastating flooding ensued with four-foot rainfall totals in spots. Harvey remains the second costliest hurricane on record in the United States, having caused approximately $160 billion in damage (2024 dollars). Dozens of fatalities resulted from Harvey, according to NOAA.

Katrina (2005): A powerful Category 5 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico less than 48 hours before making landfall, many feared Katrina was the doomsday scenario for the U.S. Gulf Coast. Fortunately, Katrina weakened to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall east of New Orleans on August 29. However, because Katrina was such a large and intense hurricane, its storm surge was commensurate with a stronger hurricane. 

Katrina became the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, according to NOAA. Katrina caused approximately $201.3 billion in damage (2024 dollars), with a death toll of more than 1,800 in the United States.

Charley (2004): Just a year earlier, the west coast of Florida saw another very powerful hurricane. After making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, Charley entered the Gulf of Mexico where it became even stronger. Initially, it was feared that it would make landfall in the major urban area of Tampa-St Petersburg. However, Charley’s path shifted and it came ashore near the town of Punta Gorda (south of Tampa) as a Category 4 hurricane on August 13 with sustained winds of 150 mph. 

It was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Andrew in 1992. Charley left roughly $26.7 billion in damage (2024), with an estimated death toll of 15.