Tropical Cyclone Wind History for Wilmington and Myrtle Beach

Numerous tropical storms and hurricanes have left their marks on North and South Carolina over recorded history. The name and date of each tropical cyclone that brought wind gusts to at least tropical storm force (39 mph or greater) in official National Weather Service, FAA, Weather Bureau, US Air Force, or US Army Signal Corps wind observations in Wilmington and Myrtle Beach is detailed below.

Wilmington's Weather Bureau office was in this building at the New Hanover County airport, pictured here in 1953. Winds were measured by the anemometers above the roof.

Wilmington's Weather Bureau office was located in this building at the New Hanover County airport, pictured here in 1953. Hurricane Helene's winds on September 27, 1958 reached 135 mph, measured by the anemometers above the roof.

Wilmington's highest wind gust on record was 135 mph during Hurricane Helene on September 27, 1958.

Official wind observations began in 1871 in downtown Wilmington, recorded by the US Army Signal Corps. Responsibility was given to the new US Weather Bureau in 1891. The Weather Bureau relocated to the Wilmington airport in the early 1950s. National Weather Service/FAA equipment called ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) records official wind speeds today.

Weather Bureau observers recorded Wilmington's highest-ever wind gust: 117 knots or 135 mph.

Myrtle Beach's highest wind gust, 106 mph, occurred during Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954.

In Myrtle Beach, observations were taken at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base/Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR) from 1941 through 1998. From 1999 to the present day the North Myrtle Beach Airport (CRE) is the official wind observation for the Grand Strand area.

Although the Myrtle Beach tower was officially evacuated during Hurricane Hazel, a meteorologist visiting from International Paper, Dr. Lopez, observed Myrtle Beach's highest wind gust on record: 92 knots or 106 mph.

Wilmington, NC

Tropical Cyclone Peak Wind

Storm Name	Date	Gust (mph)	Notes
Tropical Storm Helene	Sep 27, 2024	43
Tropical Storm Debby	Aug 8, 2024	51
Tropical Storm Ophelia	Sep 22, 2023	57
Tropical Storm Idalia	Aug 31, 2023	52
Tropical Storm Ian	Sep 30, 2022	50
Tropical Storm Elsa	Jul 8, 2021	45
Hurricane Isaias	Aug 4, 2020	73
Hurricane Dorian	Sep 5, 2019	56
Tropical Storm Michael	Oct 11, 2018	54
Hurricane Florence	Sep 14, 2018	105
Hurricane Matthew	Oct 8, 2016	70
Tropical Storm Ana	May 10, 2015	41
Hurricane Arthur	Jul 3, 2014	59
Tropical Storm Andrea	Jun 7, 2013	48
Tropical Storm Beryl	May 30, 2012	45
Hurricane Irene	Aug 27, 2011	66
Tropical Storm Hanna	Sep 6, 2008	54
Tropical Storm Ernesto	Aug 31, 2006	62
Hurricane Ophelia	Sep 14, 2005	68
Hurricane Charley	Aug 14, 2004	74
Hurricane Isabel	Sep 18, 2003	59
Hurricane Floyd	Sep 16, 1999	86
Hurricane Dennis	Aug 30, 1999	61
Hurricane Bonnie	Aug 26, 1998	70
Hurricane Fran	Sep 5, 1996	86
Hurricane Bertha	Jul 12, 1996	70
Hurricane Hugo	Sep 21, 1989	53
Tropical Storm Kate	Nov 22, 1985	40
Hurricane Gloria	Sep 27, 1985	41
Hurricane Bob	Jul 25, 1985	45
Hurricane Diana	Sep 13, 1984	74
Tropical Storm David	Sep 5, 1979	44
Tropical Storm Ginger	Oct 1, 1971	44
Hurricane Gladys	Oct 19, 1968	39
Hurricane Ginny	Oct 26, 1963	45
Hurricane Donna	Sep 11, 1960	97
Tropical Storm Brenda	Jul 29, 1960	48
Hurricane Gracie	Sep 29, 1959	67
Tropical Storm Cindy	Jul 10, 1959	48
Hurricane Helene	Sep 27, 1958	135
Hurricane Ione	Sep 19, 1955	92
Tropical Storm Diane	Aug 17, 1955	74
Hurricane Connie	Aug 11, 1955	83
Hurricane Hazel	Oct 15, 1954	98
Hurricane Carol	Aug 30, 1954	55
Hurricane Barbara	Aug 13, 1953	65
Tropical Storm Three	Aug 27, 1952	45
Homestead Hurricane	Sep 17, 1945	59
Hurricane One	Jun 25, 1945	56
Hurricane Three	Aug 1, 1944	46
Labor Day Hurricane	Sep 5, 1935	48	[1]
Hurricane Three	Jul 30, 1908	48	[1]
Hurricane Five	Sep 17, 1906	50	[1]
Tropical Storm Two	Sep 14, 1904	45	[1]
Hurricane Nine	Oct 31, 1899	43	[1]
Cedar Keys Hurricane	Sep 29, 1896	42	[1]
Tropical Storm Four	Sep 27, 1894	44	[1]
Great Charleston Hurr.	Oct 13, 1893	56	[1]
Sea Islands Hurricane	Aug 28, 1893	49	[1]
Tropical Storm Seven	Oct 11, 1888	60	[1]
Hurricane Two	Aug 25, 1885	52	[1]
Hurricane Three	Sep 11, 1883	39	[1]
Hurricane Six	Sep 9, 1881	90	[1]
Great Beaufort Hurr.	Aug 18, 1879	68	[1]
San Felipe Hurricane	Sep 17, 1876	60	[1]
Hurricane Six	Sep 28, 1874	50	[1]
Hurricane Three	Sep 20, 1873	48	[1]

Wilmington Footnotes

[1] Peak wind was originally recorded as "fastest mile" which is not the same as a modern peak wind gust measurement. At tropical storm wind speeds, "fastest mile" is generally 25 to 40 percent lower than wind gusts as measured today. At hurricane wind speeds, "fastest mile" is generally 15 to 20 percent lower than 5-second wind gusts. More at https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IBC2006P11/chapter-16-structural-design#IBC2006P11_Ch16_Sec1609.3.1

Myrtle Beach, SC

Tropical Cyclone Peak Wind

Storm Name	Date	Gust (mph)	Notes
Tropical Storm Chantal	Jul 6, 2025	48
Tropical Storm Helene	Sep 27, 2024	47
Tropical Storm Debby	Aug 8, 2024	48
Tropical Storm Ophelia	Sep 22, 2023	41
Tropical Storm Idalia	Aug 31, 2023	48
Hurricane Ian	Sep 30, 2022	58
Tropical Storm Elsa	Jul 8, 2021	50
Hurricane Isaias	Aug 3, 2020	53
Tropical Storm Bertha	May 27, 2020	40
Hurricane Dorian	Sep 6, 2019	61
Tropical Storm Michael	Oct 11, 2018	55
Hurricane Florence	Sep 14, 2018	60
Hurricane Matthew	Oct 8, 2016	70
Tropical Storm Hermine	Sep 2, 2016	56
Tropical Storm Ana	May 9, 2015	50
Hurricane Arthur	July 3, 2014	42
Tropical Storm Andrea	Jun 7, 2013	46
Tropical Storm Irene	Aug 27, 2011	40
Tropical Storm Hanna	Sep 6, 2008	53
Tropical Storm Ernesto	Aug 31, 2006	40
Hurricane Ophelia	Sep 13, 2005	39
Tropical Storm Gaston	Aug 29, 2004	45
Hurricane Charley	Aug 14, 2004	58
Hurricane Floyd	Sep 16, 1999	66
Hurricane Dennis	Aug 30, 1999	48
Hurricane Bonnie	Aug 26, 1998	60
Hurricane Fran	Sep 5, 1996	76	[2]
Hurricane Bertha	Jul 12, 1996	60	[2]
Hurricane Hugo	Sep 22, 1989	76
Tropical Storm Kate	Nov 22, 1985	46
Hurricane Bob	Jul 25, 1985	59
Hurricane Diana	Sep 13, 1984	45
Tropical Storm David	Sep 5, 1979	52
Tropical Storm Agnes	Jun 21, 1972	46
Unnamed Tropical Storm	Jun 17, 1967	41
Hurricane Donna	Sep 11, 1960	61
Hurricane Gracie	Sep 29, 1959	52
Tropical Storm Cindy	Jul 9, 1959	40
Hurricane Helene	Sep 27, 1958	63
Hurricane Ione	Sep 19, 1955	52
Tropical Storm Diane	Aug 17, 1955	52
Hurricane Connie	Aug 11, 1955	60
Hurricane Hazel	Oct 15, 1954	106
Hurricane Carol	Aug 30, 1954	40
Hurricane Able	Aug 31, 1952	50
Tropical Storm Two	Aug 28, 1949	55
Homestead Hurricane	Sep 17, 1945	55
Hurricane One	Jun 25, 1945	43