Destructive September hurricanes

 

Hurricane Dorian, September 3, 2019 (Source: NOAA)

September is typically the most active month of the Atlantic hurricane season. Whenever a tropical storm or hurricane is particularly destructive or deadly, the World Meteorological Organization retires its name. There are four particular September hurricanes that have impacted the United States in recent decades that have had their names retired.

Hurricane Dorian (2019): Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas on September 1 as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph. It also had a minimum central air pressure of 910 millibars (mb). To add to that, Dorian was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Bahamas. Dorian was also a very slow moving storm that was both destructive and deadly. Dorian impacted the U.S. East Coast as a much weaker storm where it did approximately $1.6 billion in damages (unadjusted for inflation) and caused five fatalities.

Hurricane Irma (2017): Irma was another long-lasting Cape Verde hurricane that reached Category 5 intensity on two separate occasions. At peak intensity, Irma had sustained winds of 180 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 914 mb. Irma left a deadly trail of destruction across much of the Caribbean and made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. Ultimately, Irma killed dozens in the United States and did $64 billion in damages (2024 dollars), making it the eighth costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, according to NOAA.

Hurricane Rita (2005): Rita was the third of four Category 5 hurricanes that occurred during the record-setting 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It reached its peak intensity on September 21 with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph and a minimum central pressure of 895 mb. Rita was the fourth strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, based on air pressure. According to the National Hurricane Center, Rita weakened to Category 3 intensity with sustained winds of 120 mph before making landfall September 24 near the Louisiana and Texas state border. Rita caused an estimated $29.4 billion worth of damages in 2024 dollars and ranks among the Top 20 costliest U.S. natural disasters.

Hurricane Ivan (2004): Ivan was the strongest hurricane of a busier-than-average hurricane season. It was a Category 5 storm that caused significant damage to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the Cayman Islands. Air pressure is considered a more accurate measure of hurricane intensity than wind speed, and at peak intensity Hurricane Ivan’s lowest air pressure was 910 millibars. Its highest sustained winds around the center of the storm reached 165 mph. Fortunately, Ivan weakened to Category 3 intensity before it made landfall in Alabama on September 16. It caused $34 billion in U.S. damages (2024 dollars), according to NOAA.