Of The Top 10 Deadliest Hurricanes in U.S. History, Most Occurred Over A Century Ago

by G. Martinez, Oct 7, 2024 in ClimateChangeDispatch


The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is well underway, with forecasters predicting active and potentially dangerous conditions. … [emphasis, links added]

In late September, Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast and drenched the Southeast, with devastating flooding taking a deadly toll in the mountains of North Carolina.

Here are the top 10 deadliest recorded hurricanes in U.S. history, according to the National Weather Service.

10. Last Island hurricane (1856)

The Last Island hurricane killed 400 people after slamming into the Louisiana coast in August 1856.

The highest points of the island were left under five feet of water in the wake of the storm, with the resort hotel and surrounding gambling establishments destroyed, according to NOAA.

The island itself was devastated, left void of vegetation, and split in half, NOAA said.

9. Labor Day hurricane (1935)