The North Atlantic Basin includes the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. During June 1st to November 30th it is hurricane season for the North Atlantic Basin or known as simply the Atlantic Basin. The United States from Texas all the way up to Maine can be prone to hurricanes making landfall. Moreover, you have the USA Territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Isles which are also prone.

It should come to no surprise that the USA has had a lot of destructive hurricanes. Being a Meteorologist I looked back at each state's most destructive hurricane. I wrote about this in a blog, but I figured I would post it here as well. The criteria I used was cost in dollars and deaths. I will also be including the USA Territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Isles.

Texas-Texas has had some destructive hurricanes. The state was the site of the deadliest weather disaster in USA history. In 1900 The Galveston Texas hurricane made landfall as a category 4 hurricane. This hurricane caused 9,000 deaths. From a damage perspective Hurricane Harvey from 2017 is Texas costliest hurricane. Harvey made landfall in Texas as a 135 mph category 4 hurricane. Then Harvey stalled it was close enough to the warm waters to draw up moisture. As a result Harvey produced 48-60 inches of rain in some spots. Overall, Harvey caused $120 Billion dollars worth of damage to Texas.

Louisiana- Katrina (2005) You knew this storm had to be on here. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana near the New Orleans area as a high end category 3 hurricane. Katrina's large wind field, high storm surge, and size was no match for Louisiana's Levies. The City was flooded and many perished. In Louisiana alone Katrina caused $110 Billion in damages and 1,800 deaths. Overall, Katrina caused $125 Billion dollars in damage.

Mississippi- Camille (1969) Katrina was Mississippi's costliest hurricane with over $12 billion being done in the state. However, I already used Katrina. To me Mississippi's most destructive hurricane was Camille. Camille made landfall in Mississippi as a category 5 hurricane. in Mississippi Camille caused 250 deaths and $1.5 Billion in damages.

Alabama- Ivan (2004) Hurricane Ivan made landfall in Gulf Shore Alabama and Pensacola Florida. Overall Ivan caused $19 billion in damages to the USA. However $10 billion of that was done in the US state of Alabama. Ivan produced hurricane force winds as far north as Central Alabama, and tropical storm force winds up to Huntsville Alabama. The storm produced a lot of wind damage, flooding damage, and caused a tornado outbreak.

Florida-Ian (2022) Florida has been hit with destructive hurricanes. I could have gone with Andrew, Irma, or Michael. But in terms of damage nothing compares to hurricane Ian. Ian made landfall in Florida as a high end category 4 hurricane. Ian caused over 80 deaths and $110 billion dollars in damage to Florida. Overall Ian claimed over 100 lives and $114 billion in damages to the USA.

Georgia Matthew (2016) Matthew missed Florida but made landfall in Savannah GA and Hilton Head SC as a high end category 1 hurricane. The hurricane's change of direction caught the cities off guard. The main problem with Matthew was the storm surge. In Georgia over $4 billion dollars of damage was done.

South Carolina-Hugo (1989) Hugo was a destructive hurricane that had decimated the US Territory of Puerto Rico. After striking Puerto Rico Hugo started to regain strength over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Hugo slammed South Carolina with 140 mph winds making Hugo a category 4 at landfall. In South Carolina alone Hugo caused $8 billion dollars worth of damage. Overall Hugo caused $10.4 billion in damages.

North Carolina-Florence (2018) Florence was a slow moving hurricane. This set up a flooding disaster of epic proportions in North Carolina. Florence slowly moved ashore. After it was over Florence had produced 36-48 inches of rain. In North Carolina Florence caused $21 billion in damages. Overall, Florence caused $25 billion in damages.

Virginia-Isabell (2003) Isabell made landfall on the NC/VA border as a high end category 2 hurricane. Isabell being a large hurricane produced lots of wind and high storm surge levels. In Virginia over 40 people were killed and $3.5 Billion was done in damages. Overall Isabell claimed over 50 deaths and $5 billion of damages to the USA

Maryland-Diane (1955) Diane made landfall in North Carolina as a category 1 hurricane. Then Diane skirted up the East Coast as a tropical storm. IN Maryland Diane caused severe flooding. In Maryland alone over 50 people were believed to have been killed and over $200 million dollars of damage was done.

Delaware-Tropical Storm Doria (1971) Doria had made landfall in Virginia. But its remnants caused $50 million in damages.

Pennsylvania-Agnes (1972) Pennsylvania is close enough to fill the impacts of hurricanes. One of the state's costliest was Agnes. Agnes made landfall in the Northeast as a strong tropical storm. Previously the storm had made landfall in Florida as a high end category 1 hurricane. Agnes then got trapped in Pennsylvania where it produced flooding. Agnes caused several deaths and over $1.2 Billion in PA. Overall Agnes caused $2.25 Billion to the USA

New Jersey-Sandy (2012) Sandy made landfall in New Jersey as a subtropical storm with winds of 100 mph. It was half tropical and like a Nor'easter type system. Thus it was called superstorm Sandy. Sandy caused over 100 deaths and $66 Billion in damages to New Jersey alone. Overall, Sandy caused $71 billion in damages.

New York-Irene (2011) I could have gone with the 1938 hurricane or Gloria from 1985) But I chose Irene. Irene caused severe flooding in New York City. It was the worst tropical storm or hurricane to hit New York Since Gloria in 1985. In New York Irene caused over $2 billion in damages. Overall Irene killed over 50 people and caused $18 billion in damages.

Connecticut- Carol (1954) Carol made landfall in the state as a category 3 hurricane. Carol was responsible for $460 million in damages and 72 deaths.

Rhode Island-Bob (1991) Bob came in as a high end category 2. Bob brought a high storm surge and winds over 100 mph. Overall Bob caused $1.5 Billion in damages.

Massachusetts-Edna (1954) Edna struck Massachusetts as a high end category 2 hurricane. Edna caused 29 deaths and $43 million in damages.

Maine-Esther (1961) Due to cold waters Maine is often protected from hurricanes making landfall. But that is not to say it cannot happen. In 1961 Ester made landfall as a strong tropical storm. Esther produced flooding that caused $7 million in damages.

USA Territories

Puerto Rico-Maria (2017) You knew this one had to be on here. Maria had made landfall in Dominica as a category 5 hurricane. But Maria also struck Puerto Rico as a high end category 4 hurricane. In Puerto Rico alone Maria caused $90 Billion in damages. To make maters worse Maria also caused 3,100 deaths in Puerto Rico. It was revealed most people died after the storm due to lack of water, medicine, and air conditioning.

US Virgin Isles Marilyn (1995) and Georges (1998). In 1995 Marilyn made landfall in the US Virgin Isles as a category 3 hurricane. Marilyn caused $1.5 billion in damages. 3 years later Georges struck the islands as a 135 mph category 4 hurricane doing similar damage.

Do you have the exact reports for Sandy and Irene? This isn't what I remember or can find for New York and New Jersey so it's confusing me.

zanderlex: The reports were based on NOAA post season analysis. Sorry for the confusion about Irene and Sandy. I gave the amount they did overall to the USA and other countries.Then what they did to the individual state I mentioned.

Irene made landfalls in North Carolina, New Jersey and New York. In the United States Irene caused $18 Billion in damages. But of the 18 billion done in damages 2 Billion was done in the state of New York.

Concerning Sandy that was a large hurricane that impacted all of the Northeast. However, Sandy's first landfall was not even in the USA it was in Cuba. In Cuba Sandy was estimated to have caused $6 Billion in damages. When it made landfall in the USA it caused $66 Billion to the USA.

Sometimes after a hurricane makes landfall there is preliminary damage estimates. After the Hurricane Season usually impacted areas get more damage assessments plus NOAA reanalyses all named storms after the season ends. They look at peak strength, category at landfall, and even damage assessments. That is why sometimes you get different numbers.

I hope this helps.

This is very interesting actually. I'm very surprised we don't see more of the same hurricanes in different states. For example, it's surprising to me tat Katrina is the worst hurricane in Louisinana's history, but not in any of the surrounding states.

Good thing that I can't get a hurricane from where I live! I don't get tornados ether, I mean, I have seen a tornado forming in the town I live in, but it never formed, it was over the firework shop.

Also I found out that I'm getting 0-4 inches of snow.

Dauntez: Wisconsin can be prone to tornadoes they average 20-22 tornadoes per year. While tornadoes are possible throught the state. They are mostly found in Southern Wisconsin and Western Wisconsin. Yeah Wisconsin often gets more than 40 inches of snow in the winter months.

Here in Tennessee hurricanes cannot reach us at hurricane strength. On the other hand, they can bring heavy rain, wind, and tornadoes to my state. We are prone to Tornadoes here in Tennessee and they occur in all parts of the state even the Mountains. Snowfall we usually don't get much snowfall it is usually limited to the higher elevations over 3,000 feet.

Light Knight- I could have included Katrina for a Louisiana and a Mississippi Hurricane. But I only wanted to use a name storm once. Katrina did 100 billion in damage to Louisiana and 25 million in Mississippi. If the hurricane is a very large hurricane like Katrina it will impact multiple states. So yeah, Katrina is the costliest hurricane in Mississippi but I only wanted to use the name once.

honest? last summer we had a thunderstorm so severe I thought that we got some remnants of Hurricane Hilary (though granted I'm in Manitoba when have we ever had hurricane remnants? we've had an extra-tropical cyclone once in 2010 but I was kind of out of town that week but Grand Forks got the brunt of it too)

Despite living in the state of Pennsylvania, Irene and Sandy definitely have considerable impact on the sate especially the eastern part. I still remember those two hurricanes pretty well.

Irene did cause about a two day power outage and river flooding in my area. It was surreal to see the park I often visit be completely submerge in water.


Sandy caused a week long power outage, I can definitely say that wasn't fun at all lol. Despite not having go to school for that time their wasn't really much to do without power.

supercool22: That does not sound like fun. Eastern Pennsylvania can be impacted by tropical systems. Agnes, Irene, and Sandy are examples. Yes, Irene and Sandy were very destructive hurricanes. Glad you made it okay through Irene and Sandy. I have found it interesting that the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic had two destructive hurricanes in consecutive years. Usually a storm may impact these two regions every so often.

It also seems like the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Region has hurricanes for a while and then goes for quite a while without one.

In 1954 there was Carol and Edna. The next storm to impact the region was 1960's Hurricane Donna which made landfalls in Florida, North Carolina and finally New York/ Connecticut. After Donna it would be 16 years before another hurricane would cause significant impacts

In 1985 you had Hurricane Gloria which made landfall in North Carolina then eventually New England. In 1991 Hurricane Bob caused severe damage to New England.

It would be 20 years after Bob before the next severe impact from a hurricane.