1904 - September 14th-15th - This hurricane first makes landfall in South Carolina, then curves northeast, re-emerging off the mid-Atlantic coast. This storm re-strengthened back into a hurricane, before making landfall again on the southeast New England shoreline as a minimal Category 1 storm. This storm there caused notable damage to the tune of $1,000,000 at the time. Many areas reported hurricane force winds, including 85mph at Block Island, RI. Many areas from the Carolinas to Maine received much of their rainfall for the month from this hurricane.

1916 - July 21st - Though pretty weak as far as hurricanes go when it comes ashore, it still was rare as one the earlier-season hurricanes to strike New England. Also, this hurricane first formed east of the Caribbean...quite rare for the time of year. This storm cut across the tip of Puerto Rico on its way back over open water, attaining Category-3 status for a time as reported by ships. Then weakens considerably as it finally arrives at the Cape, though with a few gusts as high as 85mph. In keeping with the anatomy of New England hurricanes, excessive rainfall was witnessed with just about the entire region to the west of the eye.

1938 - September 21st - It had been more than 100 years since the last 'real' doozy struck New England, so this one makes up for lost time. Also called "The Long Island Express". This storm first forms near the Cape Verde Islands off the African coast, and treks westward, being reported by mariners 350 miles north of Puerto Rico late on the 16th. Slams into the Long Island coast at a remarkable 60mph on the 21st, as perhaps the most powerful hurricane to ever do so. Wind gusts were measured as high as 186 mph. Hurricane-force conditions were thrust straight up into Vermont. There has yet to be an equal since, in the lore of New England Hurricanes. For in-depth reporting on this storm, please click here.

1944 - September 14th-15th - Also called "The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944". This hurricane receives scant attention or recognition due to the massive amount of respect paid to the 1938 storm. Nevertheless, this storm has made a few marks of its own which still stand today. First spotted moving through the Windward Islands of the Caribbean on the 8th, it eventually grew to a remarkable strength, sinking a US Destroyer in the open waters off Florida. The hurricane stormed on, curving up to North Carolina. The storm passed just offshore, but still caused Category-3 level effects, and to this date still the lowest recorded surface pressure on land at the Outer Banks (947mb). The still-standing highest wind speed of record for Cape Henry off Virginia came next at 134mph (gusts to 150) came next. This was one of the first hurricanes explored via air reconnaissance, with obviously turbulent reports. This hurricane sinks a few more ships on its way up the coast, including a Coast Guard Lightship and two Cutters. The turns its focus to New England, blowing in distant birds caught up in its gales, and slams into Southeast New England with the greatest wave energy of any known Atlantic storm. To this date, no storm has caused a greater storm surge in the Boston Harbor. The torrent continues right up into Maine and Maritime Canada, before turning extratropical.

1954 - August 31st - Hurricane Carol. Another powerful New England hurricane. First forms near the Bahamas, it eventually strengthens to hurricane force east of Florida. After meandering about aimlessly (and strengthening), it gets swept up by the jet stream (or the 'planetary wind'), and the accelerated north, slamming into Long Island at a strong Category-2 or more likely Category-3 intensity. It then plows through New England, with record 135mph winds at Block Island, RI, more than 14 feet of storm surge up the Narragansett, and is labeled as the worst storm to ever hit Cape Cod. The storm knifed up through Maine and into Canada, blowing 80mph winds at the Augusta Airport.

1954 - September 11th - Hurricane Edna. Not even a week after hurricane Carol finishes off parts of New England, a storm in the South Atlantic is now christened with the name "Edna". Originally forming off Barbados, she slowly works northward for a while, but then increases her forward speed and takes aim at Cape Hatteras, NC. The whole east coast prepares for the worst, yet the storm seems inclined to stay just offshore on it's way up. Attaining Category-3 intensity by the Outer Banks, she was stronger than Hurricane Carol, but fortunately only nicked much of the region, though slammed into the Cape and the Islands. Deaths and damage extended right on up into Maine, as this storm provides the finale of quite a 1-2 punch. Hurricane Edna was also perhaps the first real 'media hurricane', after a 'dress rehearsal' of one major storm stomping through major television markets, the media was able to devise ways of covering a storm rather than reporting on the damage afterward. Edward R. Murrow (and 1500 pounds of camera equipment-- pushing the meteorologist to the back) himself flew into the eye of the storm, and quoted famously, "...You feel the puniness of man and his works. If a true definition of humility is ever written, it might well be written in the eye of a hurricane." Not only that...but the inevitable commercials began running..."Hurricane Edna, brought to you by Con Edison".

1960 - September 12th - Hurricane Donna. A legendary hurricane for the east coast, it maintained and unleashed hurricane-force winds from the Florida Keys, Carolinas, Mid-Atlantic, straight up through New England. First formed off the African Coast, it strengthened to the maximum Category-5 status, later hitting Florida with reported 175mph gusts. It crossed Florida back over into the warm Atlantic, allowing it to re-strengthen rapidly. Passing just inside Cape Hatteras, it clocks 105 mph winds. 89 mph winds are reported in Norfolk, VA (and a nearby EF-2 tornado). Just offshore Virginia Beach, gusts are estimated to swirl at a little over 130mph. After teasing just about the entire eastern shoreline, Donna finally makes landfall on the Southeast New England coastline, bringing with it gusts up to 130mph at Block Island, RI, and a 7-foot storm surge at Mystic, CT. It finally weakened as it raced toward the Canadian border, but not before causing over 3 Billion dollars in damage.

1976 - August 10th - Hurricane Belle. [honorable mention on this list]. Just in case anyone thought this storm wouldn't be mentioned, it should be included if for no other reason than the near Biblical amount of hype lavished on this storm as it churned up the coast. Nevertheless, this storm still was the deadliest and costliest storm for the US in 1976. First forming near the Bahamas, it gained Category-3 status east of the Carolinas, prompting all sorts of gloom and doom press, and evacuations, as Belle parallels the coast. Belle then undergoes remarkable weakening, owing partly to its comparably slow forward speed, limping ashore at western Long Island as instead a minimal hurricane. From there it weakens further over land, and is downgraded around the time it nears Connecticut, and loses tropical characteristics (but still causes harm) over Northern New England. There were some gusts at or over hurricane force along the south coast, but the rains were more notable. The storm remains one of the worst forecasted (and by extension most needlessly hyped) in the annals of New England hurricanes.

1985 - September 27th - Hurricane Gloria. Another one of the classic "Cape Verde" variety, this storm initially flirts with the Caribbean, then passes to the north and east of all the islands, including the Bahamas. She Becomes a quite powerful Category-4 hurricane in its trek up the Western Atlantic. The hurricane picks up forward speed, which allows her to stave off enough of the serious weakening that lay ahead (unlike Belle) so as to impact the New England Coastline with real hurricane force winds. The storm continued rapidly up through Maine, still bringing hurricane-force gusts, though losing tropical characteristics. This storm also exhibited "New England Hurricane" qualities, as much of the high winds were on the east side of the storm, and the heavier rains to the west.

1991 - August 19th - Hurricane Bob. This hurricane was a Category-2 storm at landfall in southeastern New England. It first formed off the Bahamas, and was christened as a hurricane south of North Carolina. It passed east of the outer banks, picking up speed. Maxing out as a Category-3 major hurricane, it then weakens through to Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Nevertheless, it was able to bring in gusts up to 125mph and 12-15 foot storm surge. In many ways, the storm was stronger than Hurricane Gloria of a few years before. It then re-entered the Atlantic before barging into Rockland, ME as a strong tropical storm.