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List of Atlantic hurricanes in the 17th century facts for kids

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The List of Atlantic hurricanes in the 17th century tells us about all the known and suspected big storms (called tropical cyclones or hurricanes) that happened in the Atlantic Ocean from the year 1600 to 1699. We don't have records of every single storm, but the information we do have comes from people living in coastal towns and sailors on ships who survived these powerful tempests.

During the 1600s, there weren't many European colonists in America, especially in places like Florida or the Gulf Coast where hurricanes hit most often. This means our records of storms directly hitting America from this time are not complete.


Hurricanes from 1600 to 1624

Year Area(s) affected Date
(GC)		 Deaths Damage/Notes
1600 Offshore Mexico 12 September More than 60, possibly 400 A fleet of 60 Spanish ships, carrying treasure, was hit by a hurricane near Veracruz. Three large ships sank quickly, and two others disappeared. A smaller ship also wrecked on the coast of Tabasco, and 60 sailors drowned.
1600 Cuba to offshore Mexico 26–27 September More than 103, possibly 600 A weaker hurricane moved through the western Caribbean. It scattered a Spanish fleet near Havana. The fleet later reached Veracruz, but another storm forced them to anchor offshore. Many ships had to throw cannons and cargo overboard to avoid sinking. Eight more ships were lost. Some reports combine these two storms, saying about 1,000 people died and cargo worth over 10 million pesos was lost.
1601 Veracruz, Mexico unknown 1000 This storm might be a repeat of one of the 1600 storms.
1603 Martinique 1–2 August unknown Three ships were lost near Martinique.
1605 Dominican Republic, Haiti to Cuba 29 September unknown A hurricane hit near Sabana Port and the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago in Cuba.
1605 Nicaragua unknown 1300 Seven Spanish treasure ships were hit by a hurricane between Serrana Bank and Serranilla Bank. One ship returned to Cartagena, and two others reached Jamaica. The other four ships wrecked on Serranilla Bank, and everyone on board died. Spanish teams tried to find the lost treasure but failed. Fishermen later found some silver coins in 1667.
1605 Dominican Republic, Haiti to Cuba unknown unknown Three ships were lost, but some people survived. This might be the same storm as the previous one.
1605 Cumaná, Venezuela unknown unknown Four large ships were lost near Santa Margarita.
1608 Mexico 3 September A hurricane hit near Veracruz.
1609 near Bahamas to Bermuda August 4 [O.S. July 25] unknown The Tempest of 1609 or The Sea Venture Hurricane of 1609. A very strong hurricane hit a fleet of ships sailing from England to Jamestown, Virginia. One ship sank immediately. The main ship, Sea Venture, was badly damaged and had to be run aground in Bermuda. All 150 people on board survived. They built two new ships from the wreckage and local wood. After 10 months, they sailed to Virginia. This event inspired William Shakespeare's play The Tempest.
1609 southeastern Bahamas unknown 32 This event might be connected to the previous storm.
1614 Mexico 31 August unknown A Spanish treasure fleet of 41 ships was hit by a storm. Seven merchant ships wrecked between Cabo Catoche and Isla Mujeres. These ships carried valuable goods and mercury. They sank so fast that no one, not even the crew, could be saved. Another ship ran aground when the fleet reached Veracruz.
1615 offshore Mexico 30 August unknown Another Spanish treasure fleet of 41 ships was hit by a storm. A large ship, San Miguel, carrying wine, mercury, and other goods, broke apart and sank quickly. No one on board was saved. Another ship ran aground when the fleet reached Veracruz.
1615 Puerto Rico to Hispaniola 12 September some Hurricane San Leoncio of 1615. This storm caused a lot of damage to the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, farms, and sugar crops in Puerto Rico. It destroyed wooden houses and damaged stone ones, leaving them without doors or windows. There were some deaths and injuries. Ships in the port were driven aground, and most of their cargo was lost. The people asked the king for help.
1616 Cuba End of September unknown A hurricane hit Oriente Province in Cuba, especially the city of Bayamo.
1622 Havana, Cuba to Straits of Florida (Florida Keys, Bahamas) 5 September More than 1090 A small hurricane hit a convoy of 17 Spanish ships south of Cay Sal Bank. Two ships were lost. Another account says a larger fleet of 28 ships left Havana and was hit by a hurricane near the Florida Keys. More than 1,000 men drowned. Many surviving ships threw cargo overboard. Spanish teams tried to salvage treasure from the sunken ships, especially the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, but much of it was buried by sand. The famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher found the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in 1985, 363 years later.
1622 Bermuda 9 September unknown This storm hit 150 leagues from Bermuda. It might be part of the same hurricane that hit on September 5.
1622 Havana, Cuba 5 October unknown A second hurricane hit Havana. This storm broke the Nuestra Señora de Atocha into two pieces, spreading the wreck further.
1622 Old Bahama Channel unknown unknown Two Spanish merchant ships from Puerto Rico were lost in a hurricane in the Bahamian Channel. This account also mentions the Nuestra Señora de Atocha shipwreck.
1623 Cuba September 250 A Spanish fleet left Havana. At the mouth of the Bahama Channel, a storm created huge waves. A large ship, Espíritu Santo el Mayor, carrying 1 million Spanish pesos, sank quickly. Only 50 of the 300 people on board were rescued; the other 250 drowned, and all the treasure was lost. Another large ship, Santísima Trinidad, sank slowly enough that everyone was saved, and some treasure was recovered.
1623 Saint Kitts 29 September 150-250 This hurricane destroyed the first tobacco crop planted by the English on Saint Kitts. It also hit parts of Venezuela.
1623 Cuba early October unknown A fleet was hit by a hurricane in the Old Bahama Channel, sinking two ships. This might be the same as the Saint Kitts hurricane or a duplicate of the previous storm.

Hurricanes from 1625 to 1649

Year Area(s) affected Date
(GC)		 Deaths Damage/Notes
1625 Bahamas 11–12 August unknown A hurricane passed through the Bahamas Channel.
1626 Puerto Rico 15 September 38 Hurricane San Nicomedes of 1626. This storm sank three ships in San Juan Bay. It destroyed farms and limited food supplies. River floods killed cattle and horses. The governor reported that 22 people died in the city, and 16 died in one house in the countryside. The bell tower of a convent collapsed, damaging the building.
1628 Mexico unknown unknown A hurricane hit near Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
1631 Gulf of Mexico 21 October More than 300 A Spanish treasure fleet of 19 ships, carrying a huge amount of silver, gold, and other goods, left Veracruz for Havana. A week later, a hurricane hit the fleet, and no ship survived intact. The main ship, Nuestra Señora del Juncal, sank, and 300 of 335 people on board drowned. Its wreck and treasure were never found. Other ships also wrecked, but some cargo was recovered from them. The other 14 ships disappeared, likely sinking at sea with no survivors.
1634 western Cuba 5 October 40 A merchant ship sank in the port of Mariel, Cuba. A treasure ship of the Spanish fleet wrecked in Florida. Native Americans and Spanish divers recovered some of the treasure.
1635 Windward Islands, Saint Kitts, Martinique August A strong hurricane hit between St. Kitts and Martinique.
1635 Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts August 25 [O.S. August 16] 46+ Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635. This was a very powerful hurricane that hit the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was the Pilgrims' first experience with a hurricane, hitting 15 years after the Mayflower arrived. It made landfall near Narragansett Bay. The eye of the hurricane passed between Boston and Plymouth, causing a storm surge of 14–20 feet (4.3-6.1m). Hundreds of trees were knocked down, and almost all homes were destroyed.
1638 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New England coast August 13 [O.S. August 3] This storm caused very high tides in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island, but it's not known if it made landfall.
1638 Saint Kitts (formerly Saint Christopher Island) August 15 [O.S. August 5] unknown Saint Christopher Island had a severe tropical storm. Peter Minuit, famous for buying Manhattan, died during this hurricane at sea. His ship was picking up tobacco in the Caribbean when the hurricane forced all ships out to sea.
1638 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New England coast October 5 [O.S. September 25] Rain and winds caused high tides but little damage. The hurricane was out at sea.
1638 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New England coast October 19 [O.S. October 9] Rain and winds caused little damage. A few ships encountered this hurricane at sea.
1638 offshore South Puerto Rico October unknown A "storm" or "tempest" threw two ships onto coastal reefs off Coamo, Puerto Rico. Two survivors were taken prisoner by Spanish authorities.
1640 Havana, Cuba 11 September unknown This hurricane stopped a Dutch fleet from attacking the Spanish treasure fleet off Havana. It affected 36 ships and wrecked four of them ashore. Almost all their sailors drowned, except for 260 who were saved.
1641 Hispaniola to Florida 27 September many Many people died from eight lost ships. A Spanish treasure fleet was hit by a hurricane. Four ships were driven back towards Cuba; two wrecked near Havana, one near Santiago de Cuba, and one returned safely. Four merchant ships wrecked with no survivors. Another small ship wrecked, and a priest and other survivors trying to swim ashore were eaten by sharks. The 680-ton ship Nuestra Señora de la la Limpia y Pura Concepción was separated from the fleet and wrecked off Hispaniola. More than 600 people swam to a sandbar, but most died before help arrived. In 1687, Sir William Phips recovered over 2 million pesos of silver from this sunken ship, setting a world record for treasure recovered.
1642 Windward Islands, Martinique Unknown A missionary reported three hurricanes in 1642.
1642 Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Kitts September many This was the worst of the three hurricanes in 1642. It hit Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Kitts very hard with strong winds and heavy rains for 24 hours. At Saint Christopher, 23 fully loaded ships were driven ashore, and many crew members drowned. The storm destroyed parts of churches, pulled down trees and huts, and made the soil barren. It also killed most crops and animals, forcing people to import food.
1642 Martinique Unknown A third hurricane struck Martinique in 1642.
1643 Antigua, Barbuda 20–21 August unknown A hurricane affected Antigua and Barbuda.
1643 Bahamas Unknown A fleet of 30 Spanish ships carrying treasure sailed into the Bahamas and met a powerful hurricane. The great treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción was forced onto a reef, and hundreds drowned. The reefs were later named "Silver Shoals" because of the lost silver.
1644 Western Cuba, Straits of Florida (Florida Keys) October ~1100 An English pirate fleet of 13 ships with 1,500 men encountered this storm. Nine of their ten ships sank. During a calm period (perhaps the eye of the storm), the only surviving ship dropped off ten Spanish prisoners ashore. The hurricane then started again, and that last ship also sank.
1646 Cuba 17 October unknown A hurricane hit near Sierra de los Órganos in Pinar del Río Province, Cuba.
1649 Virginia unknown unknown This storm damaged the tobacco crop.

Hurricanes from 1650 to 1674

Year Area(s) affected Date
(GC)		 Deaths Damage/Notes
1650 Saint Kitts Unknown numerous A very violent storm hit Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts), throwing 28 ships onto the shore. Many sailors drowned, and a lot of goods were lost. Two hurricanes caused this disaster, and the 28 merchant ships lost over half a million pounds sterling in cargo.
1651 Martinique Unknown No specific details available.
1652 Leeward Islands 23–24 September Many Prince Rupert of the Rhine, an English Royalist, was sailing with his fleet. A "great northern sea" (large waves from a distant storm) affected them. Later, a terrible hurricane hit his fleet, scattering the ships. His ship, the Swallow, lost its sails. His brother, Prince Maurice of the Palatinate, was on another ship, the Defiance, which disappeared and likely sank with its crew. The hurricane lasted three or four days.
1653 Barbados to Saint Vincent Island 13 July Many A ship sailing from Martinique was caught in a sudden hurricane near Saint Vincent Island. The storm overturned huts, threw many people into the sea, and killed many native people. It also uprooted plants and damaged the land. One ship and its crew were lost at Saint Vincent. This hurricane likely also hit Barbados.
1653 Saint Vincent Island 1 October No specific details available.
1656 Guadeloupe 4 August Unknown A terrible hurricane destroyed most houses in Guadeloupe, killed all farm animals, ruined all farms, and wrecked every ship in the harbor, drowning most of their crews.
1656 Antilles Unknown No specific details available.
1657 Offshore of Bahamas Unknown Unknown The Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas sank in the Straits of Florida with 5 million pesos of silver after colliding with another ship. Later, two small salvage vessels, carrying recovered treasure, also sank in a storm. Survivors buried the treasure on an island until Spanish ships rescued them.
1657 Guadeloupe Unknown A tropical cyclone hit Guadeloupe.
1658 Antilles Unknown No specific details available.
1660 Antilles Unknown No specific details available.
1661 Veracruz, Mexico 14 August This tropical storm caused damage in San Juan de Ulúa and Veracruz, Mexico.
1664 Cuba September A hurricane hit Havana, Cuba.
1664 Guadeloupe 22 October This storm caused massive crop damage and almost led to a famine.
1665 Veracruz, Mexico 15 September This storm caused damage in Veracruz, Mexico.
1665 Leeward Islands August No specific details available.
1665 Caribbean Islands October No specific details available.
1666 Martinique and Guadeloupe August 14–15 [O.S. August 4–5] Less than 2000 This storm hit Marie-Galante, Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts), and Martinique. An English fleet of 17 ships and 2,000 troops was destroyed, and the admiral died.
1666 Leeward Islands 1 September No specific details available.
1666 Puerto Rico Unknown A hurricane hit San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1667 Barbados, Nevis 19 August No specific details available.
1667 Saint Kitts 1 September No specific details available.
1667 Outer Banks, North Carolina to Virginia September 6 [O.S. August 27] Many people The Dreadful Hurricane of 1667. This was the first recorded hurricane in Virginia's colonial history. It hit just northeast of Jamestown, Virginia, lasting 24 hours with strong winds, heavy rains, and a 12-foot (3.7m) storm surge. About 10,000 houses were destroyed. The colonists lost their tobacco and corn crops, their cattle drowned, and their ships were badly damaged. It's considered one of the worst hurricanes to hit Virginia.
1669 Nevis to Cuba to North Carolina 17–23 August 182 No specific details available.
1669 Saint Kitts September Unknown Twenty-five ships were lost.
1670 Near Barbados 18 August No specific details available.
1670 Jamaica 7 October Unknown This hurricane drove an English fleet of ships ashore.
1671 Mexico 22–25 September A hurricane hit Mexico.
1672 Venezuela to Mexico September A hurricane hit Caracas, Venezuela, and then later hit San Juan de Ulúa, Mexico.
1673 Puerto Rico Unknown Few One ship wrecked, but everyone on board made it safely to shore.
1674 Bay of Campeche June No specific details available.
1674 Barbados 10 August 200 No specific details available.
1674 St. Augustine, Florida 19 August This was likely a continuation of the above storm. Known as the Great Storm of 1674, it severely damaged St. Augustine, its property, crops, and fort due to rough seas and flooding.

Hurricanes from 1675 to 1699

     – only paleotempestological evidence

Year Area(s) affected Date
(GC)		 Deaths Damage/Notes
1675 Connecticut, Rhode Island, Boston September 7 [O.S. August 28] The Second Great Colonial Hurricane or The New England Hurricane of 1675. This hurricane was almost as strong as the 1635 New England Hurricane. It swept through the New England coastal region, blowing down many trees in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and destroying docks. Older colonists who remembered the 1635 storm said this one was very similar.
1675 Barbados 10 September 200 No specific details available.
1675 Cuba to Mexico 15–22 September A hurricane hit Havana, Cuba, on September 15, and then later hit Campeche, Mexico, on September 22.
1676 Bay of Campeche, Mexico June A hurricane destroyed all of William Dampier's logging camp and washed away his equipment near Mexico. Dampier's detailed description of this hurricane is considered the first accurate account of a hurricane event. After this, Dampier became a Buccaneer.
1678 Mexico 2–13 September A hurricane hit San Juan de Ulúa, Mexico.
1678 Mexico 14–19 September Another hurricane hit San Juan de Ulúa, Mexico, just a few days later in the same season.
1680 Martinique 3 August Many Twenty-two ships were lost.
1680 Barbados to Dominican Republic to British Isles 11 August–23 Many This hurricane wrecked 25 French ships and several Spanish ships. It hit near Santo Domingo and later caused shipwrecks in the British Isles after it changed into a different type of storm.
1681 St. Kitts and Nevis 6 September No specific details available. At least one house was blown down.
1681 Western Caribbean Sea No specific details available. "Considerable from drowning" No specific details available.
1681 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14 October No specific details available. The roof of the same house that was damaged in September was blown off again. Twenty-five of about thirty horses died on a ship off the coast of Nevis.
1683 North Carolina, Virginia to Connecticut August 23 [O.S. August 13] No specific details available. This storm brought strong winds and heavy rain. It caused huge flooding of rivers in Connecticut.
1683 North Atlantic August 26–31 [O.S. September 5–10] William Dampier wrote a vivid description of this hurricane in his book, three days after sailing from Virginia.
1683 Venezuela 22 October A hurricane hit Curaçao, Venezuela.
1683 Florida East Coast Unknown 496 No specific details available.
1686 South Carolina September 4–5 [O.S. August 25–26] The Spanish Repulse Hurricane of 1686. The Spanish attacked the English settlement in South Carolina. A hurricane came and destroyed all the houses, flooded the town, killed cattle, ruined crops, and knocked down many trees. The Spanish ships were all washed ashore, forcing them to give up their attack.
1689 Nevis No specific details available. Half the inhabitants of the island No specific details available.
1689 Jamaica unknown unknown This hurricane was not very severe.
1691 Antilles Unknown No specific details available.
1692 Havana, Cuba 24 October A very damaging hurricane destroyed over half of the sugar mills and much of the sugar cane crop in western Cuba. It also destroyed many buildings in Havana. The governor ordered people to pay for road repairs and slaves to clear the streets and port. It sank a supply ship near Key Biscayne.
1692 Jamaica No specific details available. 100 A "dreadful hurricane" hit the island shortly after a severe earthquake.
~1692 Belize No specific details available. No specific details available. Scientists found evidence of a major hurricane hitting Belize in sediment cores from the Great Blue Hole.
1693 Mid-Atlantic states to New England October 29 [O.S. October 19] No specific details available. The Accomack Storm of 1693. This storm created new inlets and caused flooding. It may have greatly affected the New York City area and Fire Island, but there isn't much historical information. It might have been similar to Hurricane Sandy 319 years later.
1694 Barbados 13 August No specific details available.
1694 Barbados 27 September 1000+ No specific details available.
1694 Barbados 17 October No specific details available.
1695 Florida Keys 4 October No specific details available. A large ship was wrecked in the Florida Keys by a passing hurricane.
1695 Martinique October 600 No specific details available.
1696 Western Cuba No specific details available. No specific details available. Heavy flooding occurred, and one ship was lost.
1696 South Florida East Coast October 3–4 [O.S. September 23–24] No specific details available. A hurricane hit South Florida. A Quaker merchant, Jonathan Dickinson, and his companions were on a ship that wrecked on a sandbar near what is now Jupiter Inlet due to the storm. Another ship also wrecked to the north.
1698 Pensacola, Florida 12 December A small hurricane hit near Pensacola, Florida, on December 12.

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