15 Historic Storms That Defined the Baby Boomer Era

Between 1965 and 1985, the United States experienced destructive hurricanes, a historic tornado outbreak, and blizzards that paralyzed communities. Their effects ranged from catastrophic wind and storm surge along the Gulf Coast to inland flooding, deadly tornadoes, and prolonged winter emergencies around the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.

This slideshow looks back at 15 notable storms from those two decades. Arranged chronologically, it explains where each event struck, how strong it became, and what made it significant. Some caused their worst losses outside the United States or weakened before reaching the U.S. coast, distinctions that matter when comparing their impact.

Florida and Louisiana – Betsy crossed the Upper Florida Keys on September 8 before making landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana, on the night of September 9 as a Category 3 hurricane. Storm surge flooded parts of southeastern Louisiana and New Orleans. Damage totaled about $1.4 billion in 1965 dollars, and 81 people died, including 58 in Louisiana.

Mississippi, Louisiana, and Virginia – Camille made landfall near Waveland, Mississippi, late on August 17 as a Category 5 hurricane with estimated sustained winds of about 175 mph. A storm tide of 24.6 feet was measured at Pass Christian, and the storm devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast before its remnants produced catastrophic flash flooding in Virginia. Camille caused 256 deaths.

Texas – Celia made landfall near Aransas Pass on August 3 as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of about 140 mph. Its compact eyewall produced severe streaks of wind damage around Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend. About 9,000 homes were destroyed, property and crop losses reached an estimated $453.8 million, and 15 people died in South Texas.

Florida to New York – Agnes made landfall near Panama City, Florida, on June 19 as a hurricane, but its greatest destruction came from rain and flooding after it moved inland and became part of a larger weather system. Record flooding struck Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Virginia. The storm caused 122 deaths nationwide and more than $3 billion in damage, making it the nation’s costliest natural disaster at the time.

Central and Eastern U.S. – From April 3 into April 4, the Super Outbreak produced 148 tornadoes across 13 states in roughly 24 hours. Thirty were rated F4 or F5 on the original Fujita scale. The outbreak killed 335 people and injured more than 6,000, and it held the U.S. tornado-count record until the April 2011 outbreak.

Florida and the Mid-Atlantic – Eloise made landfall about 10 miles east of Fort Walton Beach on September 23 as a Category 3 hurricane. Storm tide reached 10.6 feet in Destin, and 85% to 90% of the buildings on the Gulf side of Highway 98 between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City were severely damaged or destroyed. Its remnants later contributed to serious flooding in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the Mid-Atlantic.

New York and New England – Belle reached Category 3 strength over the Atlantic on August 9 but weakened before making landfall near Long Beach on western Long Island early on August 10, with maximum winds near the center of about 90 mph. Strong winds and heavy rain downed trees and power lines and caused coastal and inland flooding as the storm moved into New England.

Western New York, especially Buffalo – From January 28 to February 1, fierce winds blew fresh snow and an existing deep snowpack into drifts more than 20 feet high. Gusts reached 69 mph at Buffalo and 75 mph at Niagara Falls, roads became impassable, and thousands of people were stranded. Twenty-nine people died, many in vehicles buried by drifting snow, and seven counties received a federal disaster declaration.

Texas and northeastern Mexico – Anita reached Category 5 intensity over the Gulf, with peak sustained winds of about 175 mph, before making landfall on September 2 as a Category 4 hurricane about 90 miles north of Tampico, Mexico. The center stayed well south of Texas. No tropical-storm-force winds were measured in southeastern Texas or southwestern Louisiana, although tides reached 6.8 feet at South Padre Island.

Ohio Valley and Great Lakes – From January 25 to 27, a rapidly intensifying storm brought near-zero visibility, bitter cold, and wind gusts generally ranging from 50 to 70 mph; Cleveland recorded a gust of 82 mph. Roads, schools, and businesses closed across the region. More than 70 people died, including 51 in Ohio, 11 in Indiana, and five in Kentucky.

Florida to the Mid-Atlantic – After devastating parts of the Caribbean, David made landfall near Jupiter, Florida, on September 3 and near Savannah Beach, Georgia, about 24 hours later, with estimated maximum winds of about 100 mph at both landfalls. Across the United States, wind, tides, floods, and tornadoes caused more than $320 million in damage, five direct deaths, and about 10 indirect deaths.

Alabama and Mississippi – Frederic reached Category 4 strength over the Gulf before making landfall on the Alabama coast late on September 12 as a Category 3 hurricane. Storm surge reached 12 to 15 feet along Gulf beaches, and destructive winds affected the Mobile Bay area for hours. The storm caused about $2.3 billion in damage and five direct deaths.

Texas – Allen reached Category 5 intensity three times and peaked over the Caribbean with sustained winds of about 190 mph and a central pressure of 899 millibars. It weakened before making landfall on the south end of Padre Island early on August 10 as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds near 115 mph. Allen caused two direct deaths in the Corpus Christi area and produced storm surge, coastal erosion, and numerous tornadoes in Texas.

Texas, particularly Galveston and Houston – Alicia made landfall on the west end of Galveston Island early on August 18 as a Category 3 hurricane. A 12-foot storm surge was recorded at Seabrook, while wind and debris shattered hundreds of windows in downtown Houston and widespread power failures followed. Alicia caused 21 deaths and nearly $3 billion in damagl, making it Texas’s costliest hurricane at the time.

East Coast, from North Carolina to New England – Gloria peaked as a Category 4 hurricane over the Atlantic before crossing the Outer Banks early on September 27. Its center moved ashore on western Long Island about 10 hours later and then crossed Connecticut. The storm caused widespread wind damage and power outages, eight deaths, and an estimated $900 million in damage.