Ranking the Most Powerful Hurricanes of All Time

Author: Melly Alazraki
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The National Hurricane Center is tracking a low pressure system in the Atlantic Ocean that could become the first hurricane of the 2024 season. Located far in the Atlantic, the disturbance has a 90% chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm later Friday or Saturday, the NHS noted. Then it is expected to move westward at 15 to 20 mph and approach the Lesser Antilles by the end of the weekend.

In general, forecasters at the National Weather Service predict above-normal hurricane activity for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season (from June 1 to Nov. 30). They expect eight to 13 hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher) in the season, including four to seven major hurricanes (category 3, 4, 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).

One way to measure the intensity of a hurricane is using atmospheric pressure. On a basic level, the lower the atmospheric pressure, the more intense the hurricane. The reason is that in a depression, air is rising around the low, cools and condenses, forming clouds and rain and snow. As the amount of rising air increases, air from the sides rushes in to replace the rising air near the center of the storm. The stronger the rising of air in the center, the faster the air must rush in from the sides, causing strong winds.

To find the most powerful hurricanes of all time, 24/7 Wall St. used data from NOAA ‘s HURDAT2 Best Track Data dating back to 1851 to update a previous ranking we did. We ranked tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic and the Pacific based on estimated central pressure at time of landfall for all hurricanes. Hurricanes were ranked according to their minimum pressure in millibars.

For context, the average sea level air pressure is about 1013 millibars, but the 57 storms on the list had minimum pressure of 942 millibars or lower. (Also see, Every Billion Dollar Weather Disaster in the US in the Past Year.)

The earliest hurricane on the list is the “Last Island Hurricane” of August 1856. The hurricane made landfall on Last Island, Louisiana, with winds at 150 mph and a low pressure of 934 millibars. Overall, the hurricane, which ranks 31 on the list, resulted in at least 300 fatalities.

The latest hurricane on the list is Hurricane Otis in late October 2023. The hurricane produced catastrophic damage when it made landfall near Acapulco, Mexico, as a category 5 hurricane. At landfall, it had a pressure of just 929 millibars and wind of about 160 mph. Otis, which ranks 17 on the list, caused at least 52 fatalities and an estimated $12–16 billion of damage in Mexico,

Interestingly, 26 of the 57 hurricanes on the list are from this millennia, year 2000 or later, including eight from this decade — 2020 or later.

Why are we covering this

Hurricanes cause significant devastation. They cause damage to property and are dangerous to humans, often leaving death and destruction in their wake. While we often hear of the wind speed during a hurricane, a reason for these winds is the low pressure at the center.

57. Hurricane Gloria (Sep 16, 1985 – Oct 2, 1985)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 942 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 90 knots (~104 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 920 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: Bahamas, U.S. East Coast, New England

56. Hurricane Opal (Sep 27, 1995 – Oct 6, 1995)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 942 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 100 knots (~115 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 916 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Eastern Mexico, Alabama, Florida

55. Hurricane Lidia (Oct 3, 2023 – Oct 11, 2023)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 942 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 942 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Areas affected: Western Mexico, Islas Marías, Southwestern Mexico, Texas

54. Unnamed — The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 (Sep 9, 1938 – Sep 23, 1938)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 105 knots (~121 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 940 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Southeastern US, Long Island, New England, southwestern Quebec

53. Hurricane Odile (Sep 9, 2014 – Sep 18, 2014)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 918 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Areas affected: Northwestern Mexico, the Baja California Peninsula, Southwestern US, Texas

52. Hurricane Dennis (Jul 4, 2005 – Jul 18, 2005)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 930 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Windward Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, western Florida

51. Hurricane Charley (Aug 9, 2004 – Aug 15, 2004)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 941 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, Cuba, Florida, Carolinas, Virginia

50. Hurricane Ian (Sep 22, 2022 – Oct 1, 2022)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 937 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, ABC islands, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Florida, the Carolinas

49. Hurricane Gustav (Aug 25, 2008 – Sep 5, 2008)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 941 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 941 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Areas affected: Haiti, Cuba, and Louisiana

48. Unnamed — Cuba-Brownsville Hurricane (Aug 22, 1933 – Sep 5, 1933)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 940 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Bahamas, Cuba, southeastern Texas

47. Hurricane Beulah (Sep 5, 1967 – Sep 24, 1967)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 923 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Greater Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, Northeastern Mexico, South Texas

46. Unnamed — 1948 Miami Hurricane (Sep 18, 1948 – Sep 26, 1948)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 940 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, Florida, Bahamas, Bermuda

45. Unnamed — 1915 Galveston Hurricane (Aug 5, 1915 – Aug 23, 1915)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 940 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: Greater Antilles, southeastern Texas

44. Hurricane Joaquin (Sep 26, 2015 – Oct 15, 2015)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 931 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands

43. Hurricane Eta (Oct 31, 2020 – Nov 14, 2020)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 940 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 922 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: San Andrés, Jamaica Central America, Cayman Islands, Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern US

42. Hurricane Laura (Aug 20, 2020 – Aug 29, 2020)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 939 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 937 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, US Gulf Coast — mostly Louisiana (and some Texas), Midwest

41. Unnamed — Hurricane No.7 of the season (1898 Georgia hurricane) (Sep 25, 1898 – Oct 6, 1898)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 938 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 938 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Areas affected: Georgia, Florida, Midwestern US, Atlantic Canada

40. Hurricane Hazel (Oct 5, 1954 – Oct 18, 1954)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 938 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 938 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Areas affected: Windward Islands, Haiti, Bahamas, U.S. East Coast, Canada

39. Hurricane Rita (Sep 18, 2005 – Sep 26, 2005)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 937 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 100 knots (~115 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 895 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 155 knots (~178 mph)
Areas affected: Southeastern Texas, southwestern Louisiana, Florida Keys

38. Hurricane Harvey (Aug 16, 2017 – Sep 2, 2017)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 937 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 937 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Areas affected: Southeastern Texas

37. Hurricane Isidore (Sep 14, 2002 – Sep 27, 2002)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 936 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 934 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, southeastern Texas

36. Unnamed — Galveston Hurricane of 1900 (Aug 27, 1900 – Sep 15, 1900)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 936 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 936 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, southeastern Texas

35. Unnamed — Freeport Hurricane (Aug 12, 1932 – Aug 15, 1932)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 935 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 935 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Southeastern Texas

34. Hurricane Matthew (Sep 28, 2016 – Oct 10, 2016)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 935 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 934 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 145 knots (~167 mph)
Areas affected: Haiti, Cuba, Bahamas, South Carolina

33. Hurricane Hugo (Sep 10, 1989 – Sep 25, 1989)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 934 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 918 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Leeward Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Carolinas

32. Hurricane Fox (Oct 20, 1952 – Oct 28, 1952)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 934 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 934 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, Florida, Bahamas

31. Unnamed — Last Island hurricane (Aug 9, 1856 – Aug 12, 1856)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 934 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 934 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Coastal Louisiana

30. Hurricane Felix (Aug 31, 2007 – Sep 6, 2007)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 934 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 929 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Nicaragua

29. Hurricane Lenny (Nov 13, 1999 – Nov 23, 1999)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 933 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 933 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Areas affected: Eastern Caribbean islands, Leeward and Windward islands

28. Unnamed — 1916 Texas Hurricane (Aug 12, 1916 – Aug 20, 1916)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 932 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 932 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 115 knots (~132 mph)
Areas affected: Caribbean islands, southeastern Texas

27. Hurricane Joan (Oct 10, 1988 – Oct 23, 1988)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 932 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 932 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: North coast of South America, Central America, Curacao, Guajira Peninsula of Colombia

26. Hurricane Patricia (Oct 20, 2015 – Oct 24, 2015)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 932 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 872 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 185 knots (~213 mph)
Areas affected: Mexico

25. Hurricane Fiona (Sep 14, 2022 – Sep 27, 2022)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 931 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 100 knots (~115 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 931 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 120 knots (~138 mph)
Areas affected: Leeward Islands, Guadalupe, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Atlantic Canada, Greenland

24. Hurricane Carla (Sep 3, 1961 – Sep 18, 1961)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 931 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 927 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: Yucatán Peninsula, Texas, Central US

23. Unnamed — Hurricane No.2 of the season (Aug 4, 1880 – Aug 14, 1880)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 931 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 931 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Yucatán Peninsula, northern Tamaulipas, Mexico; Port Isabel, Texas; south Texas,

22. Hurricane Ida (Aug 26, 2021 – Sep 4, 2021)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 931 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 929 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, US Gulf Coast (mainly Louisiana)

21. Hurricane Floyd (Sep 7, 1999 – Sep 19, 1999)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 930 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 921 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Areas affected: Bahamas, North Carolina, mid-Atlantic states, New England

20. Hurricane Donna (Aug 29, 1960 – Sep 14, 1960)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 930 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 930 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Areas affected: West Africa, Cape Verde, Lesser Antilles, Guadeloupe, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, East Coast of the United States, Northeastern United States, Eastern Canada

19. Unnamed — The Great Miami Hurricane (Sep 11, 1926 – Sep 22, 1926)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 930 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 930 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Turks and Caicos, The Bahamas, Florida, Louisiana

18. Unnamed — Okeechobee hurricane (Sep 6, 1928 – Sep 21, 1928)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 929 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 929 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: West Africa, Guadeloupe, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, East Coast of the United States, Northeastern United States, Eastern Canada

17. Hurricane Otis (Oct 21, 2023 – Oct 25, 2023)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 929 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 922 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 145 knots (~167 mph)
Areas affected: Southern Mexico

16. Unnamed — Florida Keys hurricane (Sep 2, 1919 – Sep 16, 1919)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 927 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 927 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, Cuba, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Mexico, Texas, New Mexico

15. Hurricane Wilma (Oct 15, 2005 – Oct 26, 2005)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 927 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 882 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Areas affected: Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, eastern Mexico, Florida

14. Unnamed — Indianola Hurricane (Aug 12, 1886 – Aug 21, 1886)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 925 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 925 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Areas affected: Southeastern Texas

13. Hurricane Hattie (Oct 26, 1961 – Nov 1, 1961)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 924 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 130 knots (~150 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 914 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 145 knots (~167 mph)
Areas affected: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras

12. Hurricane Iota (Nov 12, 2020 – Nov 18, 2020)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 922 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 125 knots (~144 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 917 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 135 knots (~155 mph)
Areas affected: ABC islands, Colombia, Jamaica, Central America (esp Honduras and Nicaragua)

11. Hurricane Andrew (Aug 16, 1992 – Aug 28, 1992)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 922 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 145 knots (~167 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 922 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Florida, Louisiana

10. Hurricane Katrina (Aug 23, 2005 – Aug 31, 2005)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 920 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 110 knots (~127 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 902 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama

9. Hurricane Maria (Sep 16, 2017 – Oct 2, 2017)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 920 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 145 knots (~167 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 908 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Puerto Rico, northeastern Caribbean islands

8. Hurricane Michael (Oct 6, 2018 – Oct 15, 2018)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 919 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 919 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Areas affected: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama

7. Hurricane Janet (Sep 21, 1955 – Sep 30, 1955)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 914 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 914 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Caribbean islands, Mexico

6. Hurricane Irma (Aug 30, 2017 – Sep 13, 2017)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 914 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 155 knots (~178 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 914 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 155 knots (~178 mph)
Areas affected: Caribbean islands, Florida

5. Hurricane Dorian (Aug 24, 2019 – Sep 9, 2019)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 910 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 910 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Areas affected: Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas (especially Grand Bahama), Eastern United States (especially North Carolina)

4. Hurricane Dean (Aug 13, 2007 – Aug 23, 2007)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 905 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 905 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Jamaica, eastern Mexico

3. Hurricane Gilbert (Sep 8, 1988 – Sep 20, 1988)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 900 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 140 knots (~161 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 888 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Areas affected: Caribbean islands (esp Jamaica), Central America (Cozumel & Playa del Carmen, Mexico), parts of U.S. (Texas, Oklahoma, Midwest)

2. Hurricane Camille (Aug 14, 1969 – Aug 22, 1969)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 900 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 900 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 150 knots (~173 mph)
Areas affected: Cuba, southern U.S.

1. Unnamed — Labor Day hurricane (Aug 29, 1935 – Sep 10, 1935)

Minimum pressure at landfall: 892 millibars
Max. wind speed at landfall: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Minimum pressure overall: 892 millibars
Max wind speed measured: 160 knots (~184 mph)
Areas affected: The Bahamas, Florida Keys, Southwest and North Florida (Big Bend), Georgia, The Carolinas, Virginia

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