How Hurricane Ian stacks up in U.S. weather history

[TravelTime]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/09/30/hurricane-ian-historical-ranking-florida/

…While it is too early to tell where Ian will stack up in terms of lives lost — Florida has had a history of deadly hurricanes, with fatalities generally dropping in recent years due to improved building codes and much greater warning in advance of storms.

The deadliest storm in the modern record to strike Florida was the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, which is estimated to have killed at least 2,500 people, with some estimates taking the death toll markedly higher, according to the National Weather Service…

 

[ScoopKona]

Funny how so many of them are recent. It's almost like nature is trying to tell us something.

#BoilingFrogSyndrome

 

[pedro47]

The most hurricane month has been the Month of August with 8 hurricanes during the Month August, according to this chart.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

It would be interesting to see a chart of Hurricanes which lists their actual water storm surge. I bet Ian would rank #1.




.

 

[Talent312]

From Weather Underground...
I surmise that these are "older" canes because of poor prediction ability and construction techniques.

The 10 Deadliest U.S. Mainland Hurricanes

Rank	Name/Area	Year	Category	Deaths
1.	Great Galveston Hurricane (TX)	1900	4	8,000
2.	Lake Okeechobee (FL)	1928	4	2,500
3.	Katrina (LA/MS/FL/GA/AL)	2005	3	1,200
4.	Cheniere Caminanda (LA)	1893	4	1,100-1,400
5.	Sea Islands (SC/GA)	1893	3	1,000-2,000
6.	GA/SC	1881	2	700
7.	Audrey (Southwest LA/North TX)	1957	4	416
8.	Great Labor Day Hurricane (FL Keys)	1935	5	408
9.	Last Island (LA)	1856	4	400
10.	Miami Hurricane (FL/MS/AL)	1926	4	372

.

 

[slip]

From Weather Underground...
I surmise that these are "older" canes because of poor prediction ability and construction techniques.

The 10 Deadliest U.S. Mainland Hurricanes

Rank	Name/Area	Year	Category	Deaths
1.	Great Galveston Hurricane (TX)	1900	4	8,000
2.	Lake Okeechobee (FL)	1928	4	2,500
3.	Katrina (LA/MS/FL/GA/AL)	2005	3	1,200
4.	Cheniere Caminanda (LA)	1893	4	1,100-1,400
5.	Sea Islands (SC/GA)	1893	3	1,000-2,000
6.	GA/SC	1881	2	700
7.	Audrey (Southwest LA/North TX)	1957	4	416
8.	Great Labor Day Hurricane (FL Keys)	1935	5	408
9.	Last Island (LA)	1856	4	400
10.	Miami Hurricane (FL/MS/AL)	1926	4	372

.

Those older storms were all still very strong, mostly Category 4 Hurricanes.

 

[DaveNV]

I am surprised not to see Camille on this list.

Dave

 

[slip]

I am surprised not to see Camille on this list.

Dave

Camille killed 259 so it missed this list.

 

[DaveNV]

Camille killed 259 so it missed this list.

Ok, I didn't see the first part of this thread. I saw post #5, when I said I didn't see Camille. Now that I see post #1, I see Camille. But I guess "deadliest" means it's a death toll list, not a destruction of property list?

Dave

 

[chapjim]

Funny how so many of them are recent. It's almost like nature is trying to tell us something.

#BoilingFrogSyndrome

Oh, Stop!

 

[rickandcindy23]

Carolinian just posted about a book he read by Joe Bastardi specifically about hurricanes. The information he quoted was interesting and not in keeping with what some might believe about hurricanes. I am considering purchasing that book, but just like so many, I might get through a few chapters and then put it down for a while, thinking I will get back to it. I am not good with technical information.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Would like to see this ranking in terms of $ damage. A good proxy for storm surge and proximity to population centers.

 

[Carolinian]

Funny how so many of them are recent. It's almost like nature is trying to tell us something.

#BoilingFrogSyndrome

Accurate wind measurement only goes back so far.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

The Lake Okeechobee hurricane had wind gusts of 165mph, but the reason they call it the lake hurricane is. it hit east of it, then created a storm surge on the lake which flooded the towns on the west side - but it also raised the lake levels so the other sides also caused deaths. Because that part of the state is/was heavily agricultural, they estimated 1800-2500 deaths, many who were never found. Now, the lake is surrounded by a tall dike system to prevent another storm surge and/or flood.

The Key West hurricane (1935) was bad (Category 5) because the only way to get on and off the Keys was by train. The entire Keys were under 20' storm surge, nothing was left standing. The railroad bridge to the mainland was destroyed, so no one could leave the islands.

People always pray for a miracle and the storms would die before hitting the coast. Actually, Meteorology is a miracle! Those two storms could not be seen or predicted, leading to thousands of deaths and nothing left standing except trees. Now, meteorologists can predict within a hundred miles when and where the storm will hit. Building codes are far stronger than back then. As of earlier today, the death toll due to Hurricane Ian is 100, but tons of injuries. And with cellular and satellite communications, everyone can be contacted.

TS

 

[dioxide45]

Would like to see this ranking in terms of $ damage. A good proxy for storm surge and proximity to population centers.

But that is also hard to compare over time. As time has gone on, more people have built more homes near coasts and in flood zones. The value of those homes has also gone up and it isn't always easy to just compare it to inflation. More recent storms of similar caliber to older storms will almost always have higher damage totals.

 

[bobpark56]

Would like to see this ranking in terms of $ damage. A good proxy for storm surge and proximity to population centers.

It's likely a better proxy for population growth...or for building close to the ocean.

 

[bankr63]

It's likely a better proxy for population growth...or for building close to the ocean.

It would also have to normalized for inflation. If there was $1 Million in damage from that 1935 hurricane, it would be equivalent to $21.6 Million dollars today.

 

[dioxide45]

It would also have to normalized for inflation. If there was $1 Million in damage from that 1935 hurricane, it would be equivalent to $21.6 Million dollars today.

You would also have to look at national home prices over the time period. Home prices have outpaced CPI over the years.