Top near misses of catastrophic hurricanes

Hurricane Erin, which peaked as a major Category 5 hurricane is a good example of how powerful storms that don’t hit land can still make impact. Here are a few of the most powerful near-misses on record.

Hurricane Erin, which peaked as a major Category 5 hurricane with 160-mph winds north of Anguilla on Aug. 16, is now in the rearview. The huge storm was over 500 miles wide and brought colossal surf with waves up to 45 feet offshore, coastal flooding from Puerto Rico to the Outer Banks and cloud cover from Raleigh to Boston.

The storm's track is a stark reminder of how a few miles can change everything. Hurricane Erin was the second-largest storm to approach the United States since 1964 after Sandy. Erin serves as a good example of how powerful storms that don’t hit land can generate dangerous surf and flooding — especially when they quickly gain strength over warm ocean waters.

Beyond Erin, here are a few of the most powerful near misses on record.

Ernesto (2024)

The fifth-named storm and third hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Ernesto developed from a tropical wave east of the Leeward Islands. It peaked as a Category 2 hurricane in mid-August with winds of 100 miles per hour. Ernesto caused significant flooding in Puerto Rico before weakening and making landfall in Bermuda.

With a track far away from the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, Ernesto completely missed landfall. But that doesn't mean its effects weren't felt. In South Carolina, rip currents generated by Ernesto resulted in two deaths. And remarkably, in North Carolina, a home along the shoreline on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks collapsed due to the waves generated by the storm. This was one of a number of homes lost in this area in the past half decade as rising sea levels, coastal erosion and powerful storms steadily wear away at these once-idyllic shorefront properties.

Days later, Ernesto brought flooding to roadways in Galway, Ireland, as a tropical rainstorm as it arrived on the west coast of the country.

Joaquin (2015)

Hurricane Joaquin reached its peak as a major Category 4 storm northeast of the Bahamas in early October 2015. It blasted the southern islands for more than two days, causing widespread destruction. Severe storm surge inundated numerous communities, leaving hundreds trapped in their homes, and flooding lingered for days after the hurricane passed. Offshore, the American cargo ship El Faro and its 33 crew members were lost to the storm.

Although Joaquin never made landfall in the United States, a large low-pressure system over the Southeast states drew immense moisture from the hurricane, producing catastrophic flooding in South Carolina. This interaction created an “atmospheric river” that delivered historic rainfall—widespread totals of 15–20 inches and localized amounts exceeding 25 inches, primarily in the Charleston tri-county area. Flash flooding damaged homes and roads, prompting numerous rescues by emergency personnel. According to NOAA, high tides combined with persistent onshore winds, further worsened coastal flooding, particularly in downtown Charleston.

Emily (1993)

Emily formed in late August and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane. While never officially making landfall, Emily followed a very unusual track, hovering over the Outer Banks of North Carolina with its eyewall for some 12 hours. The storm's prolonged proximity meant that residents endured extended periods of strong winds, heavy rain and pounding surf, demonstrating how even a near miss can produce significant local impacts.

Coastal erosion, flooding of low-lying streets and scattered property damage were reported along the barrier islands, while boaters and offshore vessels faced treacherous conditions. After lingering near the coast, Emily eventually veered northeast, moving back into the open waters of the Atlantic, where it gradually weakened.

AccuWeather Senior Weather Editor Jesse Ferrell recently drew comparisons between Emily and Hurricane Erin, while reflecting on his early experiences as a meteorologist in the 1990s: "[Emily] had a very weird track. It was actually one of the first color satellite hurricane images I downloaded from the Internet back in college in 1993."

Dorian (2019)

In September 2019, in the Southeast, Dorian whipped up days of high winds, flooding and storm surge along the coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks were cut off by flooding after the storm’s brief landfall, particularly on the island of Ocracoke, where storm surges trapped hundreds of residents and cut off access. But compared to the devastation in the Bahamas, the region escaped with what now reads as a near miss.

Nina (1957)

In 1957, the year Elvis Presley released “All Shook Up,” Nina made its mark in the Pacific. Although Hurricane Nina never made a direct landfall on Hawaii, its close approach was enough to trigger widespread precautions. Authorities ordered mass evacuations of coastal communities, and residents braced for the worst as the storm churned nearby waters. While Nina ultimately caused only minor structural damage and localized flooding, its near miss served as a stark reminder of the islands’ vulnerability to powerful Pacific storms.

San Diego Hurricane (1858)

One of the few recorded Eastern Pacific hurricanes to seriously threaten Southern California, the 1858 San Diego Hurricane occurred in late September and early October, forming over the eastern Pacific during a moderate El Niño event spanning 1857–58. Unlike most Eastern Pacific storms, it accelerated north-northeast, bringing it unusually close to the Southern California coastline. Even though the hurricane ultimately weakened due to cool water and strong wind shear, it skirted the coast closely enough to unleash heavy rainfall, causing localized flooding and widespread roof damage—particularly striking given that much of the region was in its dry season, with many areas having received little rain since spring. Eyewitness accounts describe streets transformed into temporary rivers and homes sustaining structural damage from both wind and water.

The storm approached Santa Catalina Island in the Channel Islands before turning west-northwest and dissipating later on Oct. 2. Two NOAA researchers later reconstructed its path, though some uncertainty remains in the exact trajectory. They estimated that a similar storm striking in 2004 would have caused around $500 million in damage.

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