1821 Norfolk and Long Island hurricane facts for kids

The 1821 Norfolk and Long Island hurricane was one of several known tropical cyclones that have affected New York City.

The storm was first seen off the coast of the Southeastern United States on September 1. It had winds near 135 miles per hour (217 kilometres per hour).

The hurricane moved onto land near Wilmington, North Carolina. It then passed near Norfolk, Virginia. Then it moved through the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey just inland.

On September 3, the storm struck near Jamaica Bay (which later became a part of New York City).

On September 4, the hurricane was over New England.

The storm killed 22 people when it struck the Eastern United States.

The Swiss Re insurance company notes that a similar storm striking the East Coast of the United States would do more than $100 billion (and possibly as high as $200 billion) in damage if it struck. That's far more damage than was done when Hurricane Sandy struck New York and New Jersey. Sandy caused between $65 billion and $72 billion in damage.