List of Canada hurricanes

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Hurricane Juan, one of Canada's most destructive hurricanes, approaches Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A Canadian hurricane is a tropical cyclone originating in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean affecting the country of Canada. Canada is usually only hit with weak storms. However, some hurricanes can strike the area full force. Due to the cool waters for a considerable distance from the Pacific coast of Canada, there has never been a storm to directly affect the Pacific side, with the only exception being the remnants of Typhoon Freda that were absorbed by the Columbus Day Storm of 1962.

Sometimes, a hurricane can make landfall in the United States and continue northward to dissipate over (or partially over) Canada. Only a handful of storms that have taken this path were devastating in Canada. The perfect example for this is Hurricane Hazel.

Many extratropical remnants of tropical cyclones have entered Canada. They are not included in this list unless they were particularly notable. Storms that have entered Canada from the U.S. after landfall are omitted from these lists, exceptions being devastating, or notable cyclones.

1 List of Tropical cyclones
- 1.1 Pre 1900
2 1900-1949
3 1950 - 1994
4 1995 - present
5 See also
- 5.1 References

[edit] List of Tropical cyclones

These cyclones have either made a direct landfall in Canada, or made a notable close approach as a tropical cyclone.

[edit] Pre 1900

Many tropical storms and hurricanes struck Canada during this time. The most damaging one struck Newfoundland in September 1775, killing thousands. To shorten this particular list, insignificant tropical storms and depressions are omitted.

September 9, 1775: The Newfoundland Hurricane of 1775 killed over 4,000 in Newfoundland. Not only is it the earliest recorded Canadian hurricane, it is also by far the deadliest.
October 10-11, 1804: The Storm of October 1804 unusually blanketed parts of Canada with snow after striking New England.
August 23, 1863: A category one hit Nova Scotia just before losing tropical characteristics, killing at least 80.
September 23-24, 1866: A hurricane hit Newfoundland after weakening from a category 2.
October 5, 1869: The 1869 Saxby Gale struck Canada's Bay of Fundy region damaging parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
October 13, 1871: A hurricane hit Nova Scotia.
August 26, 1873: The Nova Scotia Hurricane of 1873 drifted south of Nova Scotia as a category 3. It weakened to a category one before slowly making landfall Newfoundland. It was a devastating hurricane that killed over 600. Damage in Nova Scotia was severe. It destroyed over 1,200 boats and over 900 homes and businesses. This is one of Nova Scotia's worst cyclones.
August 23, 1886: A major hurricane weakened to a category 1 before crossing Newfoundland as a hurricane.
September 8, 1891: A hurricane struck both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as a category 1.
August 18, 1893: A hurricane struck Newfoundland with 90 mph (145 km/h) winds.

[edit] 1900-1949

A very long lull period occurred during this time, It wasn't officially broken by a tropical hurricane until 1939. Only two tropical hurricanes strcuk Canada, as well as one damaging extratropical storm.

September 26, 1937: The extratropical remnant of a hurricane caused damage in Nova Scotia. The storm was moving swiftly, so most of the damage was strictly wind related.
October 18, 1939: After a long lull for Canadian hurricanes, a hurricane struck Newfoundland as a category 1. No one died, but considerable damage was done to trees, boats, and buildings.
September 17, 1940: A hurricane struck Nova Scotia before weakening.

[edit] 1950 - 1994

In this list, tropical storms are included but extratropical remnants aren't unless they were notable.

August 21, 1950: Hurricane Able struck Nova Scotia as a strong tropical storm, causing only minor damage.
October 5, 1950: Hurricane George passed a few miles south as a tropical/extratropical storm.
February 5, 1952: The 1952 Groundhog Day Tropical Storm, the earliest tropical storm ever recorded, affected New Brunswick before dissapating.
September 7, 1953: Hurricane Carol struck the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia border. It caused about $1 million in damage, mainly to boats and fish craft.

A Newspaper article showing damage in Canada from Hazel.
October 16, 1954: Hurricane Hazel, arguably one of the most notable hurricanes in history, moved into Ontario as a powerful extratropical storm (still of hurricane intensity) after having struck the Carolinas. Flash flooding from Hazel in Canada destroyed twenty bridges, killed 81 people, and left over 2,000 families homeless. In all, Hazel killed nearly 100 people and caused almost $630 million (2005 CAD) in damages (on top of over 500 other deaths and billions in damage in the US and Caribbean). No other recent natural disaster on Canadian soil has been so deadly. Floods killed 35 people on a single street in Toronto.^[1]
September 29, 1958: Hurricane Helene struck Newfoundland as a hurricane. Although not very damaging in Canada, Helene did destroy a 50 metre (160 foot) wharf carrying many lobsters out to sea.
June 19, 1959: The 1959 Escuminac Hurricane was a devastating hurricane that hit Nova Scotia. 22 boats were lost during the storm. In all the hurricane killed 35. The hurricane was so devastating, a monument was erected on Escuminac Harbour in memory of those lost.
July 12, 1959: Tropical Storm Cindy struck north of Nova Scotia.
October 8, 1962: Hurricane Daisy struck Nova Scotia as a hurricane, near the same area as Frances a year earlier, which struck the area while extratropical.
October 29, 1963: Hurricane Ginny struck Nova Scotia as a Category 2 hurricane. Ginny was unusual in the fact that the hurricane was able to produce snow.
October 24, 1964: Hurricane Gladys dissapated near the coast of Newfoundland just after making landfall.
August 16, 1971: Hurricane Beth struck Nova Scotia as a minimal hurricane, bringing over 11 inches (275 mm) of rainfall.^[2]
July 7, 1973: Hurricane Alice side-swiped the entire western coast of Newfoundland as a tropical storm before dissapating over Newfoundland.
July 28, 1975: Hurricane Blanche struck Nova Scotia as a tropical storm, dropping over 3 inches (75 mm) of rainfall.^[3]
October 25, 1979: Subtropical storm 1 (known as a subtropical "storm" but was actually a subtropical "hurricane" having reached 75 mph (120 km/h) winds while subtropical) struck Newfoundland as a subtropical storm after losing hurricane strength.
August 7-8, 1988: Tropical Storm Alberto, the furthest north forming tropical storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, struck the Canadian Maritimes and became extratropical over Newfoundland. Alberto was the first storm with a masculine name to directly strike Canada.
August 8, 1989: Hurricane Dean passed over Newfoundland before losing tropical characteristics.
August 2, 1990: Hurricane Bertha's extratropical remnants damaged crops and a suspension bridge in Prince Edward Island.
November 2, 1991: The 1991 Halloween Nor’easter, although staying mostly out to sea, made landfall in Nova Scotia as a tropical storm. The storm was not very damaging in Canada, but caused horrendous damage elsewhere.

[edit] 1995 - present

All landfalling tropical systems are included in the following list. Storms that transisted from the U.S. to Canada overland are excluded unless notable. Extratropical storms are also excluded unless notable.

July 9, 1995: Tropical Storm Barry hit Nova Scotia while tropical with no known damage.^[4]

Luis making landfall in Canada
September 11, 1995: Hurricane Luis, after raging through the Leeward Islands, turned towards Newfoundland on September 8. The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued bulletins on the powerful hurricane as it neared the province. Luis struck a sparsely populated area in eastern Newfoundland on September 11, dropping 2 to 4 inches (60-120 mm) of rain in the Avalon Peninsula without causing much damage. One was reported killed in Canada from Luis.^[5]
July 14, 1996: Hurricane Bertha struck Newfoundland before dissapating, but passed from Maine to New Brunswick earlier in its life, dropping over 3 inches (75 mm) of rain in New Brunswick. ^[6]
September 15, 1996: Hurricane Hortense, the first hurricane to directly strike Nova Scotia while at hurricane strength since Blanche in 1975, struck the Nova Scotian coast as a category 1 hurricane. $3 million were inflicted to Nova Scotia by Hortense after strong winds, heavy rain, and power outages.^[7]
September 18, 1999: Hurricane Floyd struck the Canadian Maritimes after losing tropical characteristics. Despite high interest in Floyd by the CHC, little damage was inflicted in Canada. Floyd did, however, bring winds of 51 mph (82 km/h) and high seas. ^[8]
October 20, 2000: Hurricane Michael struck Harbour Breton, Newfoundland as a category 2 hurricane. A peak gust was recorded of nearly 107 mph (171 km/h), as well as a peak wave height of over 55 feet (16.7 m) that was recorded off the coast by Buoy 44193. Overall damage by Michael was light.^[9]
October 15, 2001: Hurricane Karen brought beneficial rain after striking Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Winds there only gusted to about 64 mph (102 km/h), and little damage was reported.^[10]
September 12, 2002: Hurricane Gustav struck Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, both as a category 1 hurricane. Gustav brought hurricane force winds to Nova Scotia and dropped at least two inches (50 mm) of rain across all Nova Scotian sites. The highest rainfall amount was 4 inches (100 mm) in Ashdale.^[11]

Damage left by Juan.
September 29, 2003: Hurricane Juan is sometimes considered Atlantic Canada's most widely destructive hurricane in over a century. Juan killed 8 and caused over $200 million in damage. Power outages in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island left over 300,000 Canadians without power for two weeks. Many marinas were destroyed and many small fish craft were damaged or sank. Hurricane force gusts were reported as far out as 100 miles (160 km) on either side of Juan at landfall with an astounding peak gust of 144 mph (229 km/h) (equivalent to a category 4 hurricane) recorded in Halifax Harbour, although it was a Category 2 at landfall with 100 mph (160 km/h) sustained winds.^[12]
September 17, 2005: Hurricane Ophelia, after stalling for several days off the coast of the southeastern states, raced up the Atlantic coast. On the 17th, Ophelia became extratropical and moved parallel to the Nova Scotian coast, never making landfall. Ophelia later struck Newfoundland. Although strong winds were forecast, they did not occur and overall damage was less than expected. One indirect death was reported from Ophelia in Canada.^[13]