When hurricanes come early: A history of Atlantic landfalls before mid-July

In this piece, we’ll be looking at some of the worst hurricanes to strike the United States before July 15, well before the peak of hurricane season.

While the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, the peak of the season runs from August through October. True to form, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season’s most devastating storm, Helene, formed in late September in the Caribbean before impacting nearly a dozen states from Florida to Ohio. Milton, meanwhile, a powerful Category 5 hurricane, formed in early October and charged across Florida before it dissipated by Oct 12.

One reason hurricane season peaks in late summer is that ocean temperatures reach their apex during this time, providing the necessary energy for hurricane formation and intensification — another example of seasonal lag. Additionally, wind shear, which can disrupt storm development, is typically lower during late summer and early fall, creating more favorable conditions for hurricanes to develop and strengthen.

Several of the most intense hurricanes to strike the United States arrived before July 15—well ahead of the typical peak in hurricane season. These early-season storms broke from the norm, delivering powerful winds, high death tolls, and lasting historical impact.

Hurricane Audrey (1957)

Back in the days when drive-in movie theaters and jukeboxes were all the rage, Hurricane Audrey blasted the Gulf Coast in June of 1957. Just as astronomical summer kicked off, Category 4 Hurricane Audrey underwent rapid intensification in the unusually warm Gulf waters. It also had an earlier-than-expected landfall on the southwestern Louisiana, catching residents off guard who were waiting until the following morning to evacuate.

One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, the storm killed at least 416 people and caused $147 million in damage in 1957 USD. Audrey was the deadliest U.S. hurricane between the 1900 Galveston hurricane and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according NOAA. With a minimum barometric pressure of 27.93 inches of mercury (946 millibars), the storm was also the strongest June hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin alongside Hurricane Alex in 2010. Even in Canada, days later, Audrey took the lives of 15 people.

Hurricane Alma (1966)

Alma developed on June 4, 1966, over Central America, and was a very early storm. While moving through Honduras, the storm dropped heavy rainfall that killed at least 73 people in the city of San Rafael. After ripping through Cuba and brushing Key West, Alma made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 storm on June 9 -- at the time the earliest continental U.S. hurricane strike since 1825.

Alma left a trail of major flooding, power outages, and extensive wind damage in the southeastern U.S. All told, the storm caused more than 90 deaths, including in Central America, with some $210 million in damage.

Hurricane Agnes (1972)

Hurricane Agnes was the costliest hurricane to strike the U.S. at the time it hit in 1972, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. Agnes initially made landfall in the Florida Panhandle near Panama City. It then lost wind intensity over Georgia before gaining more energy in North Carolina as a result of the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses.

The storm that wouldn't quit, later over the Atlantic, Agnes regained tropical storm status before it arrived near New York City. While the highest winds only reached 85 mph, a Category 1 storm, most of Agnes’ effects came from catastrophic inland flooding, especially in eastern Pennsylvania and New York.

All told, Agnes churned from June 14 until July 6 when it finally dissipated near the United Kingdom — leaving 122 people dead in the U.S.

Tropical Storm Alberto (1994)

What's in a name? There have been eight Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms named Alberto. Tropical Storm Alberto, which formed on June 30, 1994, only peaked with winds of 65 mph. Soon after, it arrived onshore in Destin, Florida.

Later on, a high pressure system caused Alberto to drift over Georgia and Alabama, until the storm dissipated over Alabama on July 7. When Alberto first hit the Florida Panhandle, it caused wind damage and erosion. Additionally, freshwater flooding forced about 3,000 residents to flee their homes. Damage in Florida totaled about $80 million.

In Alabama, the storm generated heavy precipitation over the southeastern part of the state. In Georgia, meanwhile, nearly 28 inches of rain fell near Americus, about 140 miles south of Atlanta. The flooding resulted in the closure of nearly 1,000 bridges, while about 471,000 acres of croplands were inundated in Georgia alone.

In the end, Alberto was responsible for $1.03 billion in damages (1994 USD) and 33 deaths.

Hurricane Dennis (2005)

Another early-season storm that made landfall in Florida, Hurricane Dennis arrived near Pensacola on July 10, 2005, as a major Category 3 storm, after ripping countries like Jamaica and Cuba, where in the latter island nation, an astounding 120,000 homes were damaged and 15,000 residences were destroyed.

Ultimately, 90 people were killed, 15 in the U.S., and damage totaled $2.5 billion. Dennis was also a harbinger of things to come in what turned out to be a super active 2005 hurricane season, with Katrina and Rita following in August and September, respectively.

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