1933 Chesapeake–Potomac Hurricane
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The 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane was among the most damaging hurricanes in the
Mid-Atlantic states The Mid-Atlantic is a region of the United States located in the overlap between the nation's Northeastern and Southeastern states. Traditional definitions include seven U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virg ...
in the eastern United States. The sixth storm and third hurricane of the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed in the eastern
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
, where it moved west-northwestward and eventually became a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. A strong
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over
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allowed a continued northwest course, bringing the storm south of Bermuda and later toward the middle coast of the eastern United States. Advanced warning allowed hundreds of people to evacuate ahead of the hurricane making
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
. It did so in northeastern North Carolina on August 23 with winds of about . Soon after, the
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
crossed over
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, the first time that happened since
1821 Events January–March * January 21 – Peter I Island in the Antarctic is first sighted, by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen. * January 26 – Congress of Laibach convenes to deal with outstanding international issues, particularly ...
. The hurricane weakened into a tropical storm over northern Virginia shortly before passing near
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, becoming the worst tropical cyclone there since
1896 Events January * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports Wilhelm Röntgen's dis ...
. Curving northward, the storm moved through Pennsylvania and New York before losing tropical characteristics on August 25. Now extratropical, the former hurricane moved across
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, dissipating on August 28. Across the eastern United States, the hurricane left widespread damage amounting to over $40 million (equivalent to about $956 million in 2024) and causing at least 47 deaths. Although the storm struck North Carolina, damage in the state totaled only about $250,000, largely to crops and transport. Along the
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, the storm produced 100-year flooding from its
storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
, setting records that remained for 70 years. In Virginia, flooding covered downtown portions of Norfolk in the southeast and
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in the north. Damage in the state was estimated at $17.5 million. Similarly heavy damage occurred in Maryland, including over $7 million to crops. High waves along the coast eroded beaches and created a new inlet at Ocean City. The highest rainfall associated with the hurricane was at
York, Pennsylvania York is a city in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, the city's population was 44,800 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in ...
. In the state, the rains flooded several rivers which forced thousands to evacuate. In neighboring New Jersey, high waves wrecked boats and destroyed a fishing pier, while in New York, flooding caused traffic jams. In Atlantic Canada, heavy rainfall assisted firefighters in combating wildfires, and the associated winds caused isolated power outages.


Meteorological history

On August 13, a tropical depression developed near the west coast of Africa, southeast of
Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
, with an associated closed circulation. Based on observations from a nearby ship, it is estimated the depression quickly intensified into a tropical storm while moving generally to the west-northwest. For several days the storm continued this general trajectory, eventually shifting more to the northwest. Based on interpolation of reports, it is estimated the storm intensified into a hurricane on August 16 while halfway between Africa and the
Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
. The
Weather Bureau The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...
began tracking the system on August 18. Later that day, a ship reported a
pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and eve ...
of , suggesting winds of . This made the hurricane a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Another ship report on August 20 indicated a pressure of while reporting hurricane winds, suggesting peak winds of . After remaining near peak intensity for three days, the hurricane began steadily weakening while curving more to the west-northwest, a rare track for the region due to steering from a
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over
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
. On August 21, the storm passed about southwest of
Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...
. At 1000 
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on August 23, the hurricane made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
along the northern
Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separatin ...
of
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, near Nags Head, with a pressure of . Based on the steady weakening, coastal observations, and a larger than normal size, landfall winds were estimated at . A few hours later, the hurricane made another landfall on the North Carolina mainland after crossing the
Albemarle Sound Albemarle Sound () is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan River, Chowan and Roanoke River, Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean b ...
. While the hurricane continued to the northwest, the
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
briefly moved over
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, for the first time since the 1821 Norfolk and Long Island hurricane. Early on August 24, the hurricane weakened into a tropical storm while passing near
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Curving to the north, the storm crossed Pennsylvania and into New York, where it weakened further into a tropical depression. On August 25, the former hurricane turned to the east near the Canada–US border, and after interacting with a
cold front A cold front is the leading edge of a cooler mass of air at ground level that replaces a warmer mass of air and lies within a pronounced surface Trough (meteorology), trough of Low-pressure area, low pressure. It often forms behind an extratropica ...
, became extratropical. It emerged from Maine and briefly re-intensified, moving across southern
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
with gale-force winds. On August 28, the circulation dissipated to the south of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
.


Preparations and impact

The hurricane first affected Bermuda when it passed to the south. Winds at St. George's reached . High waves along the coast prevented boats from docking. Early on August 21, the Weather Bureau issued storm warnings from
Cape Hatteras Cape Hatteras is a cape located at a pronounced bend in Hatteras Island, one of the barrier islands of North Carolina. As a temperate barrier island, the landscape has been shaped by wind, waves, and storms. There are long stretches of beach ...
to
Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. As the hurricane approached land, the warnings were extended southward to Southport, North Carolina. In
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, most ships either remained at port or sought shelter due to advance warning. Residents were advised to evacuate in Ocean View,
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the List of cities in Virginia, most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeaster ...
, and Willoughby Spit, and about 350 people left their houses in Virginia Beach. Along the coast, the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
rescued more than 200 people, many of whom due to capsized boats. A 1993 article published in the '' Monthly Weather Review'' considered the storm to have been "one of the most severe storms that has ever visited the Middle Atlantic coast." Flooding affected a larger portion of the northeastern United States than any other hurricane in the 1900s after
Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes was the List of costliest Atlantic hurricanes, costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, ...
in 1972. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
later used high water levels from the storm as a 100-year event for the
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...
region. The next storm to approach the storm surge levels was
Isabel Isabel is a female name of Iberian origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of ''Elizabeth (given name), Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheba''). Arising in the 12th c ...
in 2003, which was lower in most locations in Virginia, although higher in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore due to
sea level rise The sea level has been rising from the end of the last ice age, which was around 20,000 years ago. Between 1901 and 2018, the average sea level rose by , with an increase of per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had e ...
. This hurricane caused damage from North Carolina through New Jersey, due to the combination of high winds and storm tides, and left at least 47 people dead overall.


North Carolina and Virginia

When the hurricane made landfall in the Outer Banks, it produced winds of at Cape Hatteras. The winds caused crop damage as far inland as Granville County. The four-masted
schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...
'' G.A. Kohler'' hailing from
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
and bound for
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was driven ashore at Hatteras by the high winds. Across the region, the storm downed power lines, washed out highways, wrecked boats, and destroyed houses, and overall damage in the state was around $250,000. As the hurricane moved into Virginia, winds were as strong as at
Cape Henry Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia located in the northeast corner of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to the long estuary of the Chesapeake Bay. Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Ch ...
, while Norfolk reported winds of . The latter city reported a record high tide of above normal at
Sewell's Point Sewells Point is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, located at the mouth of the salt-water port of Hampton Roads. Sewells Point is bordered by water on three sides, with Willoughby Bay to t ...
, which flooded the downtown section with of water. Water levels were higher than any previous
high water mark A high water mark is a point that represents the maximum rise of a body of water over land. Such a mark is often the result of a flood, but high water marks may reflect an all-time high, an annual high (highest level to which water rose tha ...
in Newport News and most of
Fort Eustis Fort Eustis is a United States Army installation in Newport News, Virginia. In 2010, it was combined with nearby Langley Air Force Base to form Joint Base Langley–Eustis. The post is the home to the United States Army Training and Doctrin ...
was flooded. In Hampton the storm surge flooded Langley Air Force Base, swamped homes and businesses, wrecked boats, and destroyed fishing piers. Rainfall in Chesapeake reached about , and reached about in Norfolk. Flooding near Norfolk damaged crops, and after its downtown section was flooded, residents were forced to travel by boat. When the flood levels dropped, many fish were left behind in the streets. High water levels of around along the York River destroyed buildings at Gloucester Point. In Virginia Beach, the storm knocked down about 600 trees, many of them about 100 years old, and over 79,000 people lost telephone service. Due to advance warning, there was minimal damage to shipping in the region. However, high waves damaged the steamer ''Madison'' with 90 people on board and caused it to drift off Cape Charles, which necessitated rescue from the Coast Guard. Inland flooding occurred along the
James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...
as far west as
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, where damage was limited to downed trees and broken windows. The pier of the Jamestown Ferry was washed out in Surry and a marina at Jordan Point near Hopewell was wrecked after the river reached the highest level on record. A powerful storm surge moved up the Chesapeake Bay and flooded waterfront locations. At Colonial Beach along the
Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...
, the surge flooded the town with of water and wrecked a local amusement park. The Potomac in
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
was at its highest level since 1899, causing floods deep along U.S. Route 1, and flooding the Old Town section. High winds in the city caused power outages, and flooding along the
Cameron Run Cameron Run is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 15, 2011 tributary stream of the Potomac River, located in the U.S. state of Virginia. A third-order stream, ...
washed out a bridge. The combination of rain and winds damaged crops in Fairfax and
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counties, mainly to corn and peaches. Statewide, the storm caused $5.25 million in crop damage, largely to corn and tobacco. Damage in the state was estimated at $17.5 million, and there were 15 deaths. After the storm, about 350 people helped clear debris from the streets of Norfolk.


Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic

Farther north, it is estimated the storm produced hurricane-force winds in portions of Maryland. Along the coast, high waves eroded about of beaches in Maryland and another in Delaware. High waves created an inlet that turned Assateague into an island. The storm damaged or destroyed several hotels in the region. Power, telephone, and telegraph outages occurred from Cape Charles through Delaware. In
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, of precipitation fell in 24 hours, setting a record and causing flooding. The storm surge wrecked a steamboat pier and promenade at Chesapeake Beach, and damaged or destroyed 70 houses in neighboring North Beach. In Cheverly, flooding caused nine cars of a train to derail, killing four people. Statewide, the storm caused about $7 million in crop damage, mostly to tobacco, tomato, and corn. The high tides caused $3 million in damage to the fishing industry, having damaged or destroyed many boats and docks. There was about $90,000 worth of damage to the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...
in
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
, after docks were damaged. Throughout the state, the hurricane caused about $10 million in property damage, with another $1.1 million to federal properties, about $960,000 in transportation damage, and $364,000 in utility damage. In neighboring Delaware, road damage was about $150,000, after three bridges were wrecked along DuPont Highway. Rainfall in the state reached in Bridgeville. In Washington, D.C., the storm dropped of rainfall, at the time the highest on record for a single day total. High winds knocked down trees and destroyed the roofs of several houses. Along the
Anacostia River The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid-Atlantic states, Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County, Maryland, Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Ch ...
, flooding surpassed a seawall, and traffic was disrupted when the Benning Bridge was flooded with of water. The Washington-Hoover Airport was also flooded. Damage in the nation's capital was the worst since a tropical storm in 1896. The highest rainfall associated with the hurricane was near
York, Pennsylvania York is a city in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, the city's population was 44,800 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in ...
. On August 24, the minimum pressure in Philadelphia dropped to , which was the lowest on record in the month of August at the time. Wind gusts in the city reached . In the surrounding area, winds and rainfall caused $1 million in damage, mostly to crops and houses, and there were four deaths. Rainfall caused the worst flooding in the
Lehigh Valley The Lehigh Valley () is a geography, geographic and urban area, metropolitan region formed by the Lehigh River in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh and Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania. It is a co ...
since 1902. In York County, floods destroyed 47 bridges, while in
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
proper, about 3,000 people evacuated along the swollen Codorus Creek. Hurricane-force winds potentially affected portions of Delaware and southern New Jersey. In
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...
, winds reached at a height of , which is at sea level. At the time, this was the highest wind report for the station in the month of August. Rainfall in Atlantic City totaled , including that fell in an hour on August 20, which was the monthly average. Two people drowned along the Jersey Shore due to high waves, and the storm capsized nine boats. The waves destroyed a long fishing pier in
Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Th ...
. High winds damaged the boardwalk while streets were flooded in Atlantic City, and there was about $3 million in damage. The storm spawned a tornado in Wildwood. At
Picatinny Arsenal The Picatinny Arsenal ( or ) is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on of land in Jefferson and Rockaway Townships in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, encompassing Picatinny Lake and Lake Denmark. The ...
, residents and members of the military helped prevent a dam from breaking. Sustained winds of around were observed across northern New York, while the top of the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...
reported a gust of . Heavy rainfall in the state increased water levels along streams, causing one person to drown at Mount Tremper. After a dam broke, 190 people at Godeffroy were stranded until they were rescued by a fire crew. A power outage during the storm caused the
Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; ) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. The copper-clad statue, a gift to the United States from the people of French Thir ...
torch to extinguish for the first time since 1929. Streets and basements of New York City were flooded after the heavy rainfall. The combination of flooding and fallen trees caused heavy traffic jams. The former hurricane passed near southern Quebec as a tropical depression, and later crossed southern Nova Scotia as an extratropical cyclone. Along
Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The Canada–United Sta ...
, winds reached , and in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, winds reached . After a dry summer, the storm's accompanying rainfall was beneficial, reaching in Fredericton, New Brunswick and in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The rains helped farmers in Ontario and assisted firefighters in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In Montreal, of rainfall flooded a tunnel. Gusty winds knocked down power lines in portions of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Nova Scotia. Overall effects were minor, limited to some utility damage and delays for shipping.


See also

* Hurricane Fran *
Hurricane Isabel Hurricane Isabel was a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the east coast of the United States in September 2003. The ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Isabel formed in the eastern Atlantic ...
* Hurricane Florence *
List of Delaware hurricanes The following is a list of tropical cyclones that affected the U.S. state of Delaware. Since reliable records began, no tropical cyclone has struck the state while maintaining Saffir–Simpson scale, hurricane intensity, and only two storms since ...
* List of North Carolina hurricanes (1900–49) *
List of Virginia hurricanes Since HURDAT, 1851, 122 Tropical cyclone, tropical or subtropical cyclones have either directly or indirectly affected the state of Virginia, with the most recent being Hurricane Helene, Helene in 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, 2024. On average, ...


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1933 Chesapeake-Potomac hurricane 1933 Atlantic hurricane season 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes Hurricanes in Delaware Hurricanes in Maryland Hurricanes in Virginia Hurricanes in Washington, D.C. Chesapeake Potomac hurricane