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Category 4 hurricanes are tropical cyclones that reach Category 4 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Category 4 hurricanes that later attained Category 5 strength are not included in this list. The Atlantic basin includes the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Category 4 is the second-highest hurricane classification category on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, and storms that are of this intensity maintain maximum sustained winds of 113–136 knots (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h). Based on the Atlantic hurricane database, 144 hurricanes have attained Category 4 hurricane status since 1851, the start of modern meteorological record keeping. Category 4 storms are considered extreme hurricanes. Hurricane Ike, which was a Category 4 storm, brought on a 24 feet (7.3 m) storm surge, the third greatest storm surge ever recorded (after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Camille, respectively).

Statistics

Wind, Damage, and Storm Surge statistics

Category 4 hurricanes have maximum sustained winds of 113–136 knots (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h). "Sustained winds" refers to the average wind speed observed over one minute at a height of 10 meters (33 ft) above ground. Gusts can be up to 30% higher than the sustained winds. Mobile homes and other buildings without fixed structures can be completely destroyed, and the lower floors of sturdier structures usually sustain major damage. In addition to the winds, the cyclones generally produce a storm surge of 13–18 feet (4–5.5 m) above normal, potentially causing major beach erosion. Heavy, irreparable damage and/or near complete destruction of gas station canopies and other wide span overhang type structures are also very common, and mobile and manufactured homes are often completely destroyed. Low-level terrain may be flooded well inland, as well. In addition, Category 4 hurricanes are often Cape Verde-type hurricanes. Cape Verde hurricanes are usually the strongest, and their track sometimes points them towards the United States, or other land.

Air pressure statistics

The record high and low statistics for a Category 4 hurricane, in terms of pressure in millibars (mbar) and hectopascals (hPa), are Hurricane Opal of 1995, peaking at a record low of 916 mbar/hPa, and the 1926 Nassau hurricane, peaking at a record high of 967 mbar/hPa. These, on average, are the peaks of a Category 5 major hurricane and a Category 2 hurricane. The average pressure for a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane is between 932 and 945 mbar/hPa, just to delimit boundaries of what pressure a Category 4 hurricane peaks at.

History of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes

The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes appears to have nearly doubled in occurrence from 1970 to 2004. It is likely that the increase in Atlantic tropical storm and hurricane frequency is primarily due to improved monitoring.

Due to growing population in major coastal cities, many areas have become more vulnerable to strong hurricanes, especially categories 4 and 5.

Meteorological measurements

All of the storms listed in this analysis are listed in chronological order, but they also list the minimum central pressure and maximum sustained winds. Each of these meteorological readings are taken using a specific meteorological instrument. For modern storms, the minimum pressure measurements are taken by reconnaissance aircraft using dropsondes, or by determining it from satellite imagery using the Dvorak technique. For older storms, pressures are often incomplete, typically being provided by ship-reports or land-observations. None of these methods can provide constant pressure measurements; thus it is possible the only measurement occurred when the cyclone was at a lesser strength. Sustained winds are taken using an Anemometer at 10 meters (33 ft) above the ground.

Climatology

A total of 94 hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean Basin, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, have reached Category 4 status as their peak intensity. (Note that Category 4 storms that intensified later to Category 5 status are not included in this analysis.)

Most Category 4 hurricanes occur during September, with 51 storms occurring in that month. This coincides with the average peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which occurs on September 10. Most Category 4 hurricanes develop in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Several Category 4 hurricanes are Cape Verde-type hurricanes. There have been no Category 4 hurricanes to form in either May or December, or in any other month outside the traditional bounds of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Systems

1851–1949

1950–1974

In the years between 1950 and 1974, there were 23 Category 4 hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. A dagger (†) denotes that the storm temporarily weakened below Category 4 intensity during the specified period of time.

List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes from 1950 to 1974

Storm name	Track	Season	Dates as a Category 4	Maximum sustained winds	Minimum pressure	Notes
Hurricane Dog		1950	September 1–7†	145 mph (230 km/h)	943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg)
Hurricane Fox		1950	September 14–15	140 mph (220 km/h)	946 mbar (hPa; 27.94 inHg)
Hurricane King		1950	October 18	130 mph (215 km/h)	955 mbar (hPa; 28.2 inHg)
Hurricane Charlie		1951	August 19	130 mph (215 km/h)	958 mbar (hPa; 28.29 inHg)
Hurricane Easy		1951	September 7–8	150 mph (240 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Fox		1952	October 15	145 mph (230 km/h)	934 mbar (hPa; 27.58 inHg)
Hurricane Hazel		1954	October 23–24	130 mph (215 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Connie		1955	August 7	140 mph (220 km/h)	944 mbar (hPa; 27.88 inHg)
Hurricane Ione		1955	September 18	140 mph (220 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Carrie		1957	September 7–8	140 mph (220 km/h)	945 mbar (hPa; 27.91 inHg)
Hurricane Cleo		1958	August 16	140 mph (220 km/h)	947 mbar (hPa; 27.96 inHg)
Hurricane Daisy		1958	August 28	130 mph (215 km/h)	948 mbar (hPa; 27.99 inHg)
Hurricane Helene		1958	September 27	150 mph (240 km/h)	930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg)
Hurricane Gracie		1959	September 29	140 mph (220 km/h)	950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg)
Hurricane Donna		1960	September 6–10†	145 mph (230 km/h)	930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg)
Hurricane Betsy		1961	September 5–6	130 mph (215 km/h)	945 mbar (hPa; 27.91 inHg)
Hurricane Carla		1961	September 10-11	145 mph (233 km/h)	927 mbar (hPa; 27.73 inHg)
Hurricane Frances		1961	October 7	130 mph (215 km/h)	948 mbar (hPa; 27.99 inHg)
Hurricane Flora		1963	October 2–3	150 mph (240 km/h)	933 mbar (hPa; 27.55 inHg)
Hurricane Cleo		1964	August 23–24	150 mph (240 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Dora		1964	September 6	130 mph (215 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Gladys		1964	September 17	130 mph (215 km/h)	945 mbar (hPa; 27.91 inHg)
Hurricane Hilda		1964	October 1–2	140 mph (220 km/h)	941 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg)
Hurricane Betsy		1965	September 4–9†	140 mph (220 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Celia		1970	August 3	140 mph (220 km/h)	944 mbar (hPa; 27.88 inHg)
Hurricane Carmen		1974	September 1–7†	150 mph (240 km/h)	928 mbar (hPa; 27.40 inHg)
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2012

1975–1999

In the years between 1976 and 1999, 23 Category 4 hurricanes formed in the basin:

List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes from 1976 to 2000

Storm name	Track	Season	Dates as a Category 4	Maximum sustained winds	Minimum pressure	Notes
Hurricane Gladys		1975	October 2–3	140 mph (220 km/h)	939 mbar (hPa; 27.73 inHg)
Hurricane Ella		1978	September 4	140 mph (220 km/h)	956 mbar (hPa; 28.23 inHg)
Hurricane Greta		1978	September 18	130 mph (215 km/h)	947 mbar (hPa; 27.96 inHg)
Hurricane Frederic		1979	September 12–13	130 mph (215 km/h)	943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg)
Hurricane Harvey		1981	September 14	130 mph (215 km/h)	946 mbar (hPa; 27.94 inHg)
Hurricane Debby		1982	September 18	130 mph (215 km/h)	950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg)
Hurricane Diana		1984	September 11-12	130 mph (215 km/h)	949 mbar (hPa; 28.02 inHg)
Hurricane Gloria		1985	September 24-25	145 mph (230 km/h)	919 mbar (hPa; 27.14 inHg)
Hurricane Helene		1988	September 22-23	145 mph (230 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Joan		1988	October 21-22	145 mph (230 km/h)	932 mbar (hPa; 27.52 inHg)
Hurricane Gabrielle		1989	September 4–7	145 mph (230 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Claudette		1991	September 7	130 mph (215 km/h)	944 mbar (hPa; 27.88 inHg)
Hurricane Felix		1995	August 12-13	140 mph (220 km/h)	929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg)
Hurricane Luis		1995	September 1-8	150 mph (240 km/h)	935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg)
Hurricane Opal		1995	October 4	150 mph (240 km/h)	916 mbar (hPa; 27.05 inHg)
Hurricane Edouard		1996	August 25-28†	145 mph (230 km/h)	933 mbar (hPa; 27.55 inHg)
Hurricane Hortense		1996	September 12–13	140 mph (220 km/h)	935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg)
Hurricane Georges		1998	September 19-20	155 mph (250 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Bret		1999	August 22	145 mph (230 km/h)	944 mbar (hPa; 27.88 inHg)
Hurricane Cindy		1999	August 28-29	140 mph (220 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Floyd		1999	September 12-14†	155 mph (250 km/h)	921 mbar (hPa; 27.2 inHg)
Hurricane Gert		1999	September 15–17†	150 mph (240 km/h)	930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg)
Hurricane Lenny		1999	November 17-18	155 mph (250 km/h)	933 mbar (hPa; 27.55 inHg)
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2012

2000–2024

In the years between 2000 and 2024, 38 Category 4 hurricanes formed within the confines of the Atlantic Ocean. A dagger (†) denotes that the storm temporarily weakened below Category 4 intensity during the specified period of time.

List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes from 2000–present

Storm name	Track	Season	Dates as a Category 4	Maximum sustained winds	Minimum pressure	Notes
Hurricane Isaac		2000	September 28–29	140 mph (220 km/h)	943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg)
Hurricane Keith		2000	October 1	140 mph (220 km/h)	939 mbar (hPa; 27.73 inHg)
Hurricane Iris		2001	October 8–9	145 mph (230 km/h)	948 mbar (hPa; 27.99 inHg)
Hurricane Michelle		2001	November 3–4†	140 mph (220 km/h)	933 mbar (hPa; 27.55 inHg)
Hurricane Lili		2002	October 2–3	145 mph (230 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Fabian		2003	August 31–September 5†	145 mph (230 km/h)	939 mbar (hPa; 27.73 inHg)
Hurricane Charley		2004	August 13	150 mph (240 km/h)	941 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg)
Hurricane Frances		2004	August 28–September 2†	145 mph (230 km/h)	935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg)
Hurricane Karl		2004	September 20–21†	145 mph (230 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Dennis		2005	July 8–10†	150 mph (240 km/h)	930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg)
Hurricane Gustav		2008	August 30–31	155 mph (250 km/h)	941 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg)
Hurricane Ike		2008	September 4–8†	145 mph (230 km/h)	935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg)
Hurricane Omar		2008	October 16	130 mph (215 km/h)	958 mbar (hPa; 28.29 inHg)
Hurricane Paloma		2008	November 8	145 mph (230 km/h)	944 mbar (hPa; 27.88 inHg)
Hurricane Bill		2009	August 19–20	130 mph (215 km/h)	943 mbar (hPa; 27.85 inHg)
Hurricane Danielle		2010	August 27	130 mph (215 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Earl		2010	August 30–September 2†	145 mph (230 km/h)	927 mbar (hPa; 27.37 inHg)
Hurricane Igor		2010	September 12–17	155 mph (250 km/h)	924 mbar (hPa; 27.29 inHg)
Hurricane Julia		2010	September 15	140 mph (220 km/h)	948 mbar (hPa; 27.99 inHg)
Hurricane Katia		2011	September 6	140 mph (220 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Ophelia		2011	October 2	140 mph (220 km/h)	940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg)
Hurricane Gonzalo		2014	October 15–17†	145 mph (230 km/h)	940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg)
Hurricane Joaquin		2015	October 1–3†	155 mph (250 km/h)	931 mbar (hPa; 27.64 inHg)
Hurricane Nicole		2016	October 12–13	140 mph (220 km/h)	950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg)
Hurricane Harvey		2017	August 26	130 mph (215 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Jose		2017	September 8–10	155 mph (250 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Florence		2018	September 5–12†	150 mph (240 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Laura		2020	August 26–27	150 mph (240 km/h)	937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Teddy		2020	September 17–18	140 mph (220 km/h)	945 mbar (hPa; 27.91 inHg)
Hurricane Delta		2020	October 6	140 mph (220 km/h)	953 mbar (hPa; 28.14 inHg)
Hurricane Eta		2020	November 2–3	150 mph (240 km/h)	923 mbar (hPa; 27.26 inHg)
Hurricane Iota		2020	November 16–17	155 mph (250 km/h)	917 mbar (hPa; 27.08 inHg)
Hurricane Ida		2021	August 29	150 mph (240 km/h)	929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg)
Hurricane Sam		2021	September 25–October 2†	155 mph (250 km/h)	927 mbar (hPa; 27.4 inHg)
Hurricane Fiona		2022	September 21–23	140 mph (220 km/h)	931 mbar (hPa; 27.34 inHg)
Hurricane Franklin		2023	August 28–29	150 mph (240 km/h)	926 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg)
Hurricane Idalia		2023	August 30	130 mph (215 km/h)	942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg)
Hurricane Helene		2024	September 26	140 mph (220 km/h)	938 mbar (hPa; 27.70 inHg)
Hurricane Kirk		2024	October 3–5	145 mph (230 km/h)	934 mbar (hPa; 27.58 inHg)
Sources: Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851–2021

Number by month

Landfalls

The following hurricanes from the above lists made landfall at some location while a tropical cyclone with winds of greater than 39 mph (63 km/h). Due to inaccuracies in data, tropical depression landfalls are not included. Category 5 hurricanes are also not included in the table below. Several of these storms weakened slightly after attaining Category 4 status as they approached land; this is usually a result of dry air, shallower water due to shelving, cooler waters, or interaction with land.

See also

• Atlantic hurricane season
• Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Category 4 Pacific hurricanes
• List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes

References

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    • • Landsea, Chris (April 2022). "The revised Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT2) - Chris Landsea – April 2022" (PDF). Hurricane Research Division – NOAA/AOML. Miami: Hurricane Research Division – via Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

• Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes
• Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
• Lists of tropical cyclones by intensity