At a Glance
- Four different hurricanes have made a U.S. landfall in 2017.
- This is the first time as many as four hurricanes have made a U.S. landfall since 2005.
Hurricane Nate was the fourth hurricane to landfall in the United States in 2017, the first time that's happened in a single hurricane season in over a decade.
(FULL COVERAGE: Hurricane Central)
Nate made landfall around 7 p.m. CDT Oct. 7 near the mouth of the Mississippi River as a Category 1 hurricane, then made its final landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi, just after midnight Oct. 8.
Together with a trio of Category 4 hurricane landfalls in less than a month's time from late August through late September, this is now the first time since the record-smashing 2005 hurricane season there has been as many as four U.S. landfalls in one season, all occurring within 45 days from Aug. 25 through Oct. 8.
That 2005 season featured five U.S. landfalling hurricanes: Cindy, Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
(MORE: Ten Most Extreme Atlantic Hurricane Seasons in the Satellite Era)
The previous season, 2004, also featured five U.S. landfalls, including the infamous Florida four of Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.
According to NOAA's Hurricane Research Division, only 14 other years featured at least four U.S. hurricane landfalls in the same season:
(Note: A correction was made to the statistics below to include landfalls in Hawaii since 1900, in Puerto Rico since 1898 and in the U.S. Virgin Islands since 1917, when each first became U.S. territories.)
- 6 landfalls: 1985, 1916, 1886
- 5 landfalls: 2005, 2004, 1933, 1893
- 4 landfalls: 1964, 1959, 1909, 1906, 1888, 1869, 1852
As you can see above, 2017 was only the third season in the last 50-plus years to have this happen.
The Three Category 4 U.S. Landfalls of 2017
Hurricane Maria made landfall with winds of 155 mph on September 20 in Puerto Rico.
In the weeks before Maria, hurricanes Harvey and Irma made landfall at Category 4 intensity with 130 mph winds on August 25 in Rockport, Texas, and September 10 in the Florida Keys, respectively.
Winds for a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale range from 130 mph to 156 mph. Winds of that strength are capable of causing catastrophic damage. The scale does not factor other major hazards from hurricanes such as storm surge and flooding rainfall.
The landfall of Harvey and Irma at Category 4 strength was already a historic event, marking the first time two Atlantic hurricanes struck the U.S. in the same year. With Puerto Rico taking a direct hit from Maria, the U.S. has now endured landfalls from three Category 4 hurricanes.
Category 4 or stronger Atlantic hurricane landfalls in the Lower 48 are a rare occurrence, with only 27 documented since 1851, including Harvey and Irma. Three of those 27 landfalls were Category 5 hurricanes.
Puerto Rico has experienced four Category 4 or stronger landfalls, including Maria, which was the strongest landfall there since 1928.
As mentioned earlier, the names Harvey, Irma and Maria could be retired from being used in future hurricane seasons.
(MORE: Retired Atlantic Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names)
Atlantic hurricane and tropical storm name lists repeat every six years unless one is so destructive and/or deadly that the World Meteorological Organization votes to retire that name from future lists.
The last time three Atlantic tropical storm or hurricane names were retired in a single season was 2008, when Gustav, Ike and Paloma were eliminated from future use.
Only 10 other years since 1954 have had three or more Atlantic tropical storm or hurricane names retired, according to the National Hurricane Center. 2017 could be the 11th year to have that many retirees after the WMO meets next year to make their decision on what names will be removed from use.
