Hurricane Gloria (1985)
Hurricane Gloria reached Category 4 in the North Atlantic between September 16, 1985 and October 2, 1985, with a lowest pressure of 920 mb, and made landfall.
Track and intensity
The whole track of Hurricane Gloria, colored by strength, with the other storms of the 1985 season in the same basin behind it, and its wind and pressure hour by hour. Every fix is in the track table below.
The storm
- Basin
- North Atlantic
- Dates
- September 16, 1985 to October 2, 1985
- Peak strength
- Category 4, 125 kt (144 mph)
- Lowest pressure
- 920 mb (27.17 inHg)
- Landfall
- Yes
- Accumulated cyclone energy
- 21.2
- Fastest the center moved
- 42 kt (48 mph)
- Identifier
- AL091985
Deaths and damage
No source this site reads publishes a machine-readable casualty or damage figure for a storm of this era. The National Hurricane Center’s season tables begin in 1995 and carry deaths and damage only from 2005 in the Atlantic and 2020 in both basins; the US Storm Events record begins in 1996.
Landfalls
| Time (UTC) | Where | Position | Wind | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 05:30 | Hatteras, NC, 8 km away | 35.2N 75.6W | 90 kt (104 mph) | 942 mb |
| Sep 27, 16:00 | Babylon, NY, 11 km away | 40.6N 73.3W | 75 kt (86 mph) | 961 mb |
Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.
Rainfall
The Weather Prediction Center attributes 1,104 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 9.70 inches (246 mm).
| Station | Total | Position |
|---|---|---|
| EDENTON | 9.70 in (246 mm) | 36.07N 76.62W |
| VALLEY FORGE N.H.P. | 9.17 in (233 mm) | 40.10N 75.42W |
| LONG POND POCONO LAKE | 9.11 in (231 mm) | 41.12N 75.55W |
| HOPEWELL MORGANTOWN | 8.97 in (228 mm) | 40.17N 75.88W |
| KRESGEVILLE 2 W | 8.96 in (228 mm) | 40.90N 75.53W |
| HOLLAND 1 E | 8.60 in (218 mm) | 36.68N 76.77W |
| UNADILLA 2 N | 8.04 in (204 mm) | 42.35N 75.32W |
| WARSAW 2 NW | 7.86 in (200 mm) | 37.98N 76.78W |
| ALLENTOWN LEHIGH VALLEY INTL | 7.85 in (199 mm) | 40.65N 75.45W |
| MOREHEAD CITY 2 WNW | 7.83 in (199 mm) | 34.73N 76.73W |
| GOULDSBORO | 7.83 in (199 mm) | 41.25N 75.45W |
| WILLIAMSBURG 2 N | 7.82 in (199 mm) | 37.30N 76.70W |
WPC’s storm rainfall file, 1900 to 2020, compiled by David Roth.
Track
| Time (UTC) | Position | Wind | Pressure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 12:00 | 13.3N 23.6W | 25 kt | 1009 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 16, 18:00 | 13.8N 24.8W | 25 kt | 1008 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 17, 00:00 | 14.1N 25.9W | 30 kt | 1008 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 17, 06:00 | 14.3N 27.1W | 30 kt | 1008 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 17, 12:00 | 14.6N 28.3W | 35 kt | 1007 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 17, 18:00 | 14.7N 29.6W | 35 kt | 1007 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 00:00 | 14.9N 31.7W | 35 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 06:00 | 15.0N 33.8W | 35 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 12:00 | 15.1N 35.9W | 35 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 18, 18:00 | 15.4N 38.1W | 30 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 19, 00:00 | 15.8N 39.5W | 30 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 19, 06:00 | 16.2N 40.9W | 30 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 19, 12:00 | 16.6N 42.2W | 30 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 19, 18:00 | 17.0N 43.8W | 30 kt | 1006 mb | Tropical depression |
| Sep 20, 00:00 | 17.2N 45.1W | 35 kt | 1005 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 06:00 | 17.4N 46.7W | 40 kt | 1004 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 12:00 | 17.5N 48.1W | 45 kt | 1003 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 20, 18:00 | 17.6N 49.8W | 45 kt | 1002 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 00:00 | 17.7N 51.2W | 50 kt | 1001 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 06:00 | 17.7N 52.8W | 55 kt | 1001 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 12:00 | 17.7N 54.2W | 60 kt | 1000 mb | Tropical storm |
| Sep 21, 18:00 | 17.7N 55.3W | 65 kt | 1000 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 22, 00:00 | 17.8N 56.3W | 65 kt | 1000 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 22, 06:00 | 17.8N 57.1W | 70 kt | 996 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 22, 12:00 | 17.8N 58.2W | 70 kt | 992 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 22, 18:00 | 18.4N 59.0W | 65 kt | 990 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 23, 00:00 | 19.0N 60.2W | 65 kt | 990 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 23, 06:00 | 19.7N 61.5W | 65 kt | 989 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 23, 12:00 | 20.4N 62.9W | 65 kt | 987 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 23, 18:00 | 21.0N 64.2W | 75 kt | 980 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 24, 00:00 | 21.5N 65.5W | 95 kt | 956 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 24, 06:00 | 21.9N 66.8W | 100 kt | 952 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 24, 12:00 | 22.5N 67.9W | 100 kt | 950 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 24, 18:00 | 23.2N 69.0W | 105 kt | 935 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 25, 00:00 | 24.2N 70.0W | 120 kt | 920 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 25, 06:00 | 25.1N 70.9W | 125 kt | 920 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 25, 12:00 | 26.1N 72.0W | 115 kt | 926 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 25, 18:00 | 26.9N 73.0W | 95 kt | 933 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 26, 00:00 | 27.8N 74.0W | 85 kt | 940 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 26, 06:00 | 28.9N 75.0W | 80 kt | 944 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 26, 12:00 | 30.0N 75.5W | 80 kt | 946 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 26, 18:00 | 31.4N 76.2W | 85 kt | 944 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 00:00 | 33.2N 76.0W | 90 kt | 942 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 05:30 landfall | 35.2N 75.6W | 90 kt | 942 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 06:00 | 35.5N 75.5W | 90 kt | 942 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 12:00 | 38.4N 74.5W | 85 kt | 951 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 16:00 landfall | 40.6N 73.3W | 75 kt | 961 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 27, 18:00 | 41.9N 72.8W | 75 kt | 964 mb | Hurricane |
| Sep 28, 00:00 | 45.5N 70.0W | 50 kt | 986 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 28, 06:00 | 48.1N 67.8W | 50 kt | 987 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 28, 12:00 | 49.5N 64.5W | 50 kt | 987 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 28, 18:00 | 50.8N 61.2W | 50 kt | 987 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 29, 00:00 | 51.5N 57.5W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 29, 06:00 | 52.1N 53.8W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 29, 12:00 | 52.4N 50.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 29, 18:00 | 52.5N 47.5W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 30, 00:00 | 52.5N 45.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 30, 06:00 | 52.5N 42.5W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 30, 12:00 | 52.5N 40.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Sep 30, 18:00 | 52.9N 37.9W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Oct 1, 00:00 | 53.3N 35.9W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Oct 1, 06:00 | 53.8N 34.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Oct 1, 12:00 | 54.5N 32.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Oct 1, 18:00 | 55.5N 30.0W | 50 kt | 990 mb | Extratropical |
| Oct 2, 00:00 | 56.6N 29.0W | 50 kt | 960 mb | Extratropical |
Other North Atlantic storms of 1985
- Tropical Storm AnaNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane BobNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane ClaudetteNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane DannyNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane ElenaNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Tropical Storm FabianNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Tropical Storm HenriNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Tropical Storm IsabelNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane JuanNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Hurricane KateNorth Atlantic · 1985
- Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 1985
What this means
A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.
Sources
Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.
The National Hurricane Center has published no tropical cyclone report for this storm.