Hurricane Frederic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hurricane Frederic

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Frederic nearing the Alabama coast
Formed	August 29, 1979
Dissipated	September 15, 1979
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 135 mph (215 km/h)
Lowest pressure	943 mbar (hPa); 27.85 inHg
Fatalities	5 direct, 9 indirect
Damage	$2.3 billion (1979 USD)
Areas affected	Lesser Antilles, Hispaniola, Cuba, Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, most of eastern North America
Part of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Frederic was a very powerful storm that hit the U.S. in 1979. It was the sixth named storm and the third hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. Frederic was also the second "major hurricane" of that year, meaning it was a very strong storm.

When it happened, Hurricane Frederic was the most expensive hurricane ever to hit the U.S. It caused about $2.3 billion in damage. This record was later broken in 1989 by Hurricane Hugo. Many other storms have caused more damage since then. Frederic caused 14 deaths in total.

Why Hurricane Frederic's Name Was Retired

After Hurricane Frederic caused so much damage, its name was "retired" in the spring of 1980. This means the name "Frederic" will never be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. Hurricane names are retired when a storm causes a lot of deaths or damage.

Frederic was only the second male hurricane name to be retired at that time. Instead of "Frederic," the name "Fabian" was used in the 1985 hurricane season.

Images for kids

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  People leaving the Mobile area to escape Hurricane Frederic.

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  This map shows how much rain fell in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands from Hurricane Frederic.

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  The Dauphin Island Bridge was destroyed by Hurricane Frederic. After the storm, you could only reach the island by boat.

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  Damage in Gulf Shores, Alabama after Hurricane Frederic passed through.

See also

In Spanish: Huracán Frederic para niños