Atlantic Hurricanes – Highest Storm Surge
The combination of wind, waves, low pressure, storm size, and the shape of the coastline all influence how high the storm surge will be. Ninety percent of all deaths from hurricanes is due to storm surge. Below is the list of Atlantic Hurricanes with the highest storm surge.
| Storm | Year | Location | Surge in ft. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005 | Bay St. Louis, Mississippi | 28.0 |
| Hurricane Camille | 1969 | Pass Christian, Mississippi | 24.3 |
| Hurricane Opal | 1995 | Fort Walton Beach, Florida | 24.0 |
| Hurricane Dorian | 2019 | Abaco and Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas | 23.0 |
| Hurricane Carla | 1961 | Port Lavaca, Texas | 22.0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999 | Abaco, Cat, Eluthera, and San Salvador Islands, Bahamas | 20.0 |
| Hurricane Hugo | 1989 | Cape Romain, South Carolina | 20.0 |
| Hurricane Gilbert | 1988 | Eastern Shore of Jamaica | 19.0 |
| Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 | 1935 | Florida Keys | 18.0 |
| Hurricane Rita | 2005 | Cameron Parish, Louisiana | 18.0 |
| Hurricane Hazel | 1954 | Calabash, North Carolina | 18.0 |
| Hurricane Ike | 2008 | Bolivar Peninsula, Texas | 17.0 |
| Hurricane Andrew | 1992 | Biscayne Bay, Florida | 16.9 |
| Hurricane Betsy | 1965 | Southeastern Louisiana | 15.7 |
| Hurricane Helene | 2024 | Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee, and Horseshoe Beach, Florida | 15.0 |
| Long Island Express | 1938 | Western Long Island Sound | 15.0 |
Data courtesy of NOAA, National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center.