Category 4 hurricanes are tropical cyclones that reach Category 4 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Category 4 hurricanes that later attained Category 5 strength are not included in this list. The Atlantic basin includes the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Category 4 is the second-highest hurricane classification category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and storms that are of this intensity maintain maximum sustained winds of 114–135 knots (131–155 mph, 210–249 km/h). Based on the Atlantic hurricane database, 95 hurricanes have attained Category 4 hurricane status since 1851, the start of modern meteorological record keeping. Category 4 storms are considered extreme hurricanes. Hurricane Ike, which was a Category 4 storm, brought on a 24 ft storm surge, the third greatest storm surge ever recorded (after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Camille, respectively). It also had the highest recorded Integrated Kinetic Energy of any Atlantic tropical cyclone, making Hurricane Ike the most powerful hurricane to attain Category 4 status in the Atlantic basin.
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Category 4 hurricanes have maximum sustained winds of 114–135 knots (131–155 mph, 210–249 km/h).[1] "Sustained winds" refers to the average wind speed observed over one minute at a height of 10 meters (33 ft) above ground. Gust can be 30% higher than the sustained winds.[2] Mobile homes and other buildings without fixed structures can be completely destroyed, and the lower floors of sturdier structures usually sustain major damage. In addition to the winds, the cyclones generally produce a storm surge of 13–18 feet (4–5.5 m) above normal, potentially causing major beach erosion. Heavy, irreparable damage and/or near complete destruction of gas station canopies and other wide span overhang type structures are also very common, and mobile and manufactured homes are often completely destroyed. Low-level terrain may be flooded well inland, as well.[3] In addition, Category 4 hurricanes are very often Cape Verde type hurricanes. Cape Verde hurricanes are usually the strongest, and their track sometimes points them towards the United States, or other land.[4]
Studies have shown that due to global warming, major hurricanes, categories 3, 4, and 5, have nearly doubled in occurrence in the past 35 years.[5] Also, due to growing population in major coastal cities, many areas have become more vulnerable to strong hurricanes, especially categories 4 and 5.[6]
All of the storms listed in this analysis are listed in chronological order, but they also list the minimum central pressure and maximum sustained winds. Each of these meteorological readings are taken using a specific meteorological instrument. For modern storms, the minimum pressure measurements are taken by Reconnaissance Aircraft using dropsondes, or by determining it from satellite imagery using the Dvorak technique. For older storms, pressures are often incomplete, typically being provided by ship-reports or land-observations. None of these methods can provide constant pressure measurements; thus it is possible the only measurement occurred when the cyclone was at a lesser strength.[7] Sustained winds are taken using an Anemometer at 10 meters (33 ft) above the ground.[8]
A total of 95 hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean Basin, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, have reached Category 4 status as their peak intensity. (Note that Category 4 storms that intensified later to Category 5 status are not included in this analysis.)
Most Category 4 hurricanes occur during September, with 51 storms occurring in that month. This coincides with the average peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which occurs on September 10.[9] Most Category 4 hurricanes develop in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Several Category 4 hurricanes are Cape Verde-type hurricanes. There have been no Category 4 hurricanes to form in either May or December, or in any other month outside the traditional bounds of the Atlantic hurricane season.
All data listed is provided by the NHC best track, unless otherwise noted. Also, some pressure readings for the older storms may have been taken at a time other than the storm's peak intensity. Thus, some pressure readings might not be the minimum pressure.
Some pressure readings are unavailable due to scarce information.
Hurricane frequency
Period | Number | Number per year |
---|---|---|
1851–1900 | 13 | 0.26 |
1901–1950 | 29 | 0.59 |
1951–1975 | 22 | 0.92 |
1976–2000 | 24 | 1.0 |
2001–2010 | 17 | 1.7 |
In the years between 1851 and 1900, thirteen Category 4 storms are known to have occurred in the Atlantic Ocean. These numbers are limited by the observation techniques used prior to the use of satellite imagery in the 1960s.
Name | Season | Month | Max. sustained winds | Minimum pressure | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Knots) | (km/h) | (mph) | (mbar) | ||||
Hurricane #3 | 1853 | August, September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 924 | |
"1856 Last Island Hurricane" | 1856 | August | 130 | 240 | 150 | 934 | |
Hurricane #6 | 1866 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 938 | |
Hurricane #7 | 1878 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 938 | |
Hurricane #2 | 1880 | August | 130 | 240 | 150 | 931 | |
Hurricane #8 | 1880 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 928 | |
Hurricane #6 | 1882 | October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 975 | |
Indianola Hurricane of 1886 | 1886 | August | 135 | 250 | 155 | 925 | |
Hurricane #10 | 1893 | September, October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 948 | |
Hurricane #6 | 1894 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 931 | |
Hurricane #7 | 1898 | September, October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 930 | |
Hurricane #3 | 1899 | August, September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 930 | |
Galveston Hurricane of 1900 | 1900 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 936 | |
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2006[10] |
Between 1901 and 1950, 29 Category 4 hurricanes formed in the Atlantic Basin.
Name | Season | Months | Max. sustained winds | Minimum pressure | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Knots) | (km/h) | (mph) | (mbar) | ||||
Hurricane #4 | 1906 | August, September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 950 | |
Hurricane #5 | 1910 | October | 130 | 240 | 150 | 924 | |
1915 Galveston Hurricane | 1915 | August | 115 | 215 | 135 | 940 | |
New Orleans Hurricane of 1915 | 1915 | September, October | 125 | 230 | 145 | 931 | |
1919 Florida Keys Hurricane | 1919 | September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 927 | |
Tampa Bay Hurricane of 1921 | 1921 | October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 952 | |
Hurricane #2 | 1922 | September | 130 | 240 | 150 | - | |
Hurricane #2 | 1924 | August | 115 | 215 | 130 | - | |
Nassau Hurricane of 1926 | 1926 | July, August | 120 | 220 | 140 | 975 | |
Hurricane #4 | 1926 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | - | |
1926 Miami Hurricane | 1926 | September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 935 | |
Hurricane #10 | 1926 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | - | |
1929 Florida Hurricane | 1929 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 936 | |
1930 Dominican Republic hurricane | 1930 | August, September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 930 | |
Hurricane #2 | 1932 | August | 125 | 230 | 145 | 942 | |
1932 Cuba Hurricane | 1932 | October, November | 115 | 215 | 130 | 915[11] | |
Hurricane #12 | 1933 | August, September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 948 | |
Hurricane #18 | 1933 | October | 130 | 240 | 971 | ||
Hurricane #4 | 1939 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | - | |
Hurricane #3 | 1943 | August | 120 | 220 | 140 | - | |
1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane | 1944 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 943 | |
Hurricane #5 | 1945 | August | 120 | 220 | 140 | 963 | |
Hurricane #9 | 1945 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 951 | |
Hurricane #5 | 1946 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 979 | |
Hurricane #6 | 1948 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | - | |
Hurricane #8 | 1948 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 975 | |
Hurricane #2 | 1949 | August | 130 | 240 | 150 | 954 | |
Hurricane #10 | 1949 | September, October | 115 | 215 | 130 | - | |
Hurricane Able | 1950 | August | 120 | 220 | 140 | 953 | |
Hurricane Fox | 1950 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | - | |
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2006[10]|} |
In the years between 1951 and 1975, there were 22 Category 4 hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.
Name | Season | Month | Max. sustained winds | Minimum pressure | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Knots) | (km/h) | (mph) | (mbar) | ||||
Hurricane Charlie | 1951 | August | 115 | 215 | 130 | 964 | |
Hurricane Fox | 1952 | October | 130 | 240 | 150 | 934 | |
Hurricane Carol | 1953 | August, September | 130 | 250 | 150 | 929 | |
Hurricane Hazel | 1954 | October | 115 | 215 | 130 | 937 | |
Hurricane Connie | 1955 | August | 125 | 230 | 145 | 936 | |
Hurricane Greta | 1956 | October, November | 120 | 220 | 140 | 970 | |
Hurricane Audrey | 1957 | June | 125 | 230 | 145 | 946 | |
Hurricane Carrie | 1957 | September | 135 | 250 | 155 | 945 | |
Hurricane Helene | 1958 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 934 | |
Hurricane Ilsa | 1958 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 968 | |
Hurricane Gracie | 1959 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 950 | |
Hurricane Betsy | 1961 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 945 | |
Hurricane Esther | 1961 | September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 927 | |
Hurricane Flora | 1963 | September, October | 126 | 230 | 145 | 940 | |
Hurricane Cleo | 1964 | August, September | 135 | 250 | 155 | 950 | |
Hurricane Dora | 1964 | August, September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 942 | |
Hurricane Gladys | 1964 | September | 126 | 230 | 145 | 945 | |
Hurricane Hilda | 1964 | September, October | 130 | 240 | 150 | 941 | |
Hurricane Betsy | 1965 | August, September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 941 | |
Hurricane Inez | 1966 | September, October | 130 | 240 | 150 | 929 | |
Hurricane Carmen | 1975 | August, September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 928 | |
Hurricane Gladys | 1975 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 939 | |
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2006[10] |
In the years between 1976 and 2000, 24 Category 4 hurricanes formed in the basin:
Name | Season | Month | Max. sustained winds | Minimum pressure | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Knots) | (km/h) | (mph) | (mbar) | ||||
Hurricane Ella | 1978 | August, September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 956 | |
Hurricane Greta | 1978 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 947 | |
Hurricane Frederic | 1979 | August, September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 943 | |
Hurricane Harvey | 1981 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 946 | |
Hurricane Debby | 1982 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 950 | |
Hurricane Diana | 1984 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 949 | |
Hurricane Gloria | 1985 | September, October | 125 | 230 | 145 | 919 | |
Hurricane Helene | 1988 | September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 938 | |
Hurricane Joan | 1988 | October, November | 125 | 230 | 145 | 932 | |
Hurricane Gabrielle | 1989 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 935 | |
Hurricane Claudette | 1991 | September | 115 | 215 | 130 | 943 | |
Hurricane Felix | 1995 | August | 120 | 220 | 140 | 929 | |
Hurricane Luis | 1995 | August, September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 935 | |
Hurricane Opal | 1995 | September, October | 130 | 240 | 150 | 916 | |
Hurricane Edouard | 1996 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 933 | |
Hurricane Hortense | 1996 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 935 | |
Hurricane Georges | 1998 | September, October | 135 | 250 | 155 | 937 | |
Hurricane Bret | 1999 | August | 125 | 230 | 145 | 944 | |
Hurricane Cindy | 1999 | August | 120 | 220 | 140 | 942 | |
Hurricane Floyd | 1999 | September | 135 | 250 | 155 | 921 | |
Hurricane Gert | 1999 | September | 130 | 240 | 150 | 930 | |
Hurricane Lenny | 1999 | November | 135 | 250 | 155 | 933 | |
Hurricane Isaac | 2000 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 144 | 943 | |
Hurricane Keith | 2000 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 939 | |
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2006[10] |
In the years between 2001 and the present time, nineteen Category 4 hurricanes formed within the confines of the Atlantic Ocean:
Name | Season | Month | Max. sustained winds | Minimum pressure | Image | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Knots) | (km/h) | (mph) | (mbar) | |||||
Hurricane Iris | 2001 | October | 125 | 230 | 145 | 948 | ||
Hurricane Michelle | 2001 | October, November | 120 | 220 | 140 | 933 | ||
Hurricane Lili | 2002 | September, October | 125 | 230 | 145 | 938 | ||
Hurricane Fabian | 2003 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 939 | ||
Hurricane Charley | 2004 | August | 125 | 230 | 145 | 941 | ||
Hurricane Frances | 2004 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 935 | ||
Hurricane Karl | 2004 | September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 938 | ||
Hurricane Dennis | 2005 | July | 130 | 240 | 150 | 930 | ||
Hurricane Gustav | 2008 | August | 135 | 250 | 155 | 941 | ||
Hurricane Ike | 2008 | September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 935 | ||
Hurricane Omar | 2008 | October | 115 | 230 | 135 | 958 | ||
Hurricane Paloma | 2008 | November | 125 | 230 | 145 | 944 | ||
Hurricane Bill | 2009 | August | 115 | 230 | 135 | 943 | ||
Hurricane Danielle | 2010 | August | 115 | 215 | 135 | 942 | ||
Hurricane Earl | 2010 | August, September | 125 | 230 | 145 | 927 | ||
Hurricane Igor | 2010 | September | 135 | 250 | 155 | 924 | ||
Hurricane Julia | 2010 | September | 120 | 220 | 140 | 948 | ||
Hurricane Katia | 2011 | August, September | 115 | 215 | 135 | 946 | ||
Hurricane Ophelia | 2011 | September, October | 120 | 220 | 140 | 940 | ||
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2006[10] |
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The following hurricanes made landfall at some location at any strength; hurricanes that did not make landfall but made a direct hit are also included. Due to inaccuracies in data, tropical depression landfalls are not included.