Most intense hurricanes to hit U.S.

Hurricane Michael struck the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 storm, the third most powerful hurricane ever to hit the United States

UNITED STATES
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
1 2 3 4 5 6

STRONGEST U.S. HURRICANES (by minimum pressure, millibars)

1 Sep 2, 1935: Labor Day
892mb (Category 5)
Mauled Florida Keys with winds of 200mph (322kmh). Victims included 200 World War I veterans constructing highway
Deaths: 423
Damage cost: $100 million

2 Aug 17, 1969: Camille
900mb (Category 5)
Struck Mississippi Gulf Coast with devastating winds and storm tides that destroyed buildings and orchards
Deaths: 259
Damage cost: $1.43 billion

3 Oct 10, 2018: Michael
919mb (Category 4)
Impacted Florida Panhandle, cutting off electricity to more than 403,000 homes and businesses
Deaths: At least 2
Damage cost: To be confirmed

4 Aug 25, 2005: Katrina
920mb (Category 3)
Direct hit on New Orleans. Breaching of multiple levees flooded most of city, causing huge loss of life
Deaths: 1,836
Damage cost: $125 billion

5 Aug 24, 1992: Andrew
922mb (Category 5)
Struck Florida with five-metre storm surge, destroying more than 63,500 houses and spawning killer tornado
Deaths: 65
Damage cost: $27.3 billion

6 Aug 20, 1886: Indianola
925mb (Category 4)
Obliterated Texas port town, still recovering from 1875 hurricane. Storm ended catastrophic drought
Deaths: 74
Damage cost: $200,000


Dates indicate U.S. landfall

Sources: Reuters, NOAA  
Picture: Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS