List of North Carolina hurricanes (1980–1999) facts for kids

Flooding from Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, one of North Carolina's worst natural disasters

This article is about the many tropical storms and hurricanes that hit the US state of North Carolina between 1980 and 1999. During these two decades, about 68 tropical storms and hurricanes affected North Carolina. Together, these storms caused around $10 billion in damage. Most of this damage came from two big hurricanes: Fran and Floyd.

These storms also led to about 56 direct deaths and at least 47 indirect deaths in North Carolina. The year 1985 had the most storms, with eight hitting the state. Every single year from 1980 to 1999 saw at least one tropical storm or hurricane affect North Carolina. Most of these were Atlantic hurricanes. Only two were from the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane Tico in 1983 and Hurricane Roslyn in 1986.

The strongest hurricane to hit North Carolina during this time was Hurricane Fran in 1996. It struck near Wilmington as a very powerful Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Hurricane Emily in 1993 also passed by the Outer Banks as a Category 3 hurricane. The deadliest storm was Hurricane Floyd in 1999. It caused 35 deaths and record-breaking floods in the eastern part of the state. Storms affected North Carolina in every month of the hurricane season, from June to November, but most often in September.

What are Hurricanes?

Hurricanes are huge, spinning storms that form over warm ocean waters. They bring strong winds, heavy rain, and can cause storm surge (a rise in sea level). When a hurricane hits land, it can cause a lot of damage to buildings and nature.

• A tropical cyclone is a general term for a rotating storm system that forms over tropical or subtropical waters.
• A subtropical cyclone is similar but has features of both tropical and non-tropical storms.
• The Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale measures a hurricane's strength based on its wind speed, from Category 1 (least powerful) to Category 5 (most powerful).

Strongest and Deadliest Storms

• Hurricane Fran (1996): This was the strongest hurricane to hit North Carolina during this period. It caused about $3.35 billion in damage, making it the state's worst natural disaster at the time.
• Hurricane Floyd (1999): This was the deadliest hurricane, causing 35 direct deaths. It brought record-breaking floods that destroyed thousands of homes.
• Hurricane Emily (1993): This powerful Category 3 hurricane caused about $35 million in damage, mostly on Hatteras Island.
• Hurricane Hugo (1989): This hurricane caused about $1.7 billion in damage and left many people without power.

Hurricanes from 1980 to 1984

Hurricane Diana just offshore

• August 27, 1980 – Winds from Hurricane Charley caused strong rip currents, leading to six deaths.
• August 20, 1981 – Tropical Storm Dennis brought heavy rain near Wilmington. There were some power outages and road closures, but not much damage.
• November 12, 1981 – A subtropical storm caused coastal flooding and beach erosion along the coast.
• September 13, 1984 – Hurricane Diana hit near Cape Fear with strong winds. It caused three indirect deaths and about $70 million in damage.
• October 14, 1984 – High waves from Hurricane Josephine caused minor damage and water to wash over the Outer Banks.

Hurricanes from 1985 to 1989

Satellite image of Hurricane Gloria south of the state

• July 25, 1985 – Hurricane Bob caused one traffic death in North Carolina.
• September 27, 1985 – Hurricane Gloria hit Hatteras Island, causing serious coastal flooding and one death.
• November 1, 1985 – Tropical Storm Juan brought heavy rain to western North Carolina. This rain caused a mudslide that blocked part of Interstate 40.
• August 17, 1986 – Hurricane Charley made landfall in the state. It caused one indirect death, but damage was minor, mostly from tidal flooding and fallen trees.
• September 22, 1989 – Hurricane Hugo crossed western North Carolina. Its strong winds destroyed many homes and knocked down trees over a huge area. More than 200,000 people lost power. Damage was estimated at $1 billion, and there were 7 deaths in the state.

Hurricanes from 1990 to 1994

Hurricane Emily off of the Outer Banks

• October 13, 1990 – The remains of Tropical Storm Marco brought heavy rain, causing two direct deaths and two indirect traffic deaths.
• August 19, 1991 – Hurricane Bob passed by the Outer Banks with strong winds and a small storm surge. It caused one death and $4 million in damage.
• October 31, 1991 – The 1991 Perfect Storm caused very high waves and severe flooding along the Outer Banks. It destroyed or damaged hundreds of buildings, with over $5 million in damage.
• August 31, 1993 – The western part of Hurricane Emily's eyewall crossed the northeastern Outer Banks. Its strong winds made 553 homes impossible to live in. Damage was about $35 million, mostly on Hatteras Island. The hurricane also caused two deaths from rough waves.
• August 17, 1994 – While crossing the western part of the state, Tropical Depression Beryl created nine tornadoes and dropped heavy rain. This caused some flooding.
• November 17, 1994 – Hurricane Gordon caused significant flooding and strong winds along the Outer Banks. Some beachfront homes in Kitty Hawk were destroyed.

Hurricanes from 1995 to 1999

Flooding from Hurricane Fran

• June 6, 1995 – The remains of Hurricane Allison brought heavy rain, causing $5 million in crop damage.
• August 17, 1995 – Hurricane Felix came close to the state, causing high waves and rip currents. Three people died from the waves, and there was severe beach erosion.
• October 5, 1995 – The former Hurricane Opal brought moderate rain and strong winds. A falling tree, due to the winds, killed a man and caused one indirect death. Damage was over $15 million.
• July 12, 1996 – Hurricane Bertha made landfall near Wilmington. It destroyed hundreds of buildings and damaged thousands more, mostly from storm surge. Damage was over $250 million, and there was one direct and one indirect death.
• September 6, 1996 – Hurricane Fran hit near Wilmington with very strong wind gusts and a 10-foot storm surge. In some areas, it damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings. Heavy rain caused rivers to flood further inland. Across the state, damage was about $2.55 billion, making it the state's worst natural disaster at the time. The hurricane caused 14 deaths in the state.
• July 24, 1997 – The remains of Hurricane Danny brought heavy rain, causing two drowning deaths in the western part of the state.
• August 27, 1998 – Hurricane Bonnie moved ashore near Wilmington as a strong Category 2 hurricane. It caused heavy crop damage, and total damage was estimated at $480 million. A girl was killed when a large tree fell on her home.

Coastal property damage from Hurricane Floyd

• August 30, 1999 – Hurricane Dennis stayed offshore for a long time, causing severe beach erosion. It then made landfall as a strong tropical storm, dropping heavy rain. This rain caused flooding along several rivers, which got even worse when Hurricane Floyd hit weeks later. Damage was over $50 million.
• September 16, 1999 – Hurricane Floyd struck near Cape Fear with a 10-foot storm surge and strong winds. It dropped over 20 inches of rain, causing record-breaking river flooding. This was considered a "1 in 500 year event," meaning it was extremely rare. Damage was over $3 billion, with over 7,000 homes destroyed and 56,000 damaged. The hurricane caused 35 direct deaths and 16 indirect deaths, mostly from flooding. The Governor of North Carolina called it "the worst disaster to hit North Carolina in modern times."
• October 18, 1999 – Hurricane Irene passed close to the coast, bringing more heavy rain to coastal areas. More flooding was reported, and one indirect death happened due to a car accident.

Hurricane Season by Month

Storms That Caused Deaths

See also

• List of North Carolina hurricanes
• Geography of North Carolina