Hurricane Ernesto (2006)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

August 24, 2006 to September 4, 2006

Peak strength

Category 1, 65 kt (75 mph)

Lowest pressure

985 mb (29.09 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

5.7

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

150 nmi (278 km, 173 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

10 nmi (19 km, 12 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

10 nmi (19 km, 12 mi)

Overall size

180 nmi (333 km, 207 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

80 kt (92 mph)

Fastest the center moved

18 kt (21 mph)

Identifier

AL062006

Radar at KLTX as it neared land, Sep 1, 03:40 UTC

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

3 (3 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

1

Property damage

$46 million

Crop damage

$43 million

Events recorded

131 in 37 reports from 12 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

66 tropical storm, 20 heavy rain, 20 high wind, 9 storm surge/tide, 4 strong wind, 3 tornado, 3 marine high wind, 2 flash flood, 2 flood, 1 lightning, 1 high surf.

3 tornadoes recorded in the United States, strongest first.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 3,363 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 14.61 inches (371 mm).

WPC’s storm rainfall file, 1900 to 2020, compiled by David Roth.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

Tropical Storm Ernesto tracked from the Florida Straits, making landfall in Islamorada late in the evening on August 29, 2006. Ernesto continued north northwest through Florida Bay before reaching mainland Monroe County on the morning of August 30. 62 residents were sheltered within the county, with 35 special needs residents sheltered out-of-county. In the Upper Keys of Monroe County, peak wind gusts included 42 knots (48 mph) at Molasses Reef Light, and 41 knots (47 mph) at the Islamorada Fire/Rescue Station. Small tree limbs were reported down along county road 905, and one tree was uprooted in the Lake Surprise subdivision. Lowest pressure reported was 1004.1 mb at Molasses Reef Light. Storm total rainfall was measured at 2.50 inches at Tavernier, and 2.32 inches at John Pennekamp State Park. No significant storm tide was measured or reported.

Monroe/Lower Keys, Florida · Tropical Storm · Aug 29, 17:00 UTC

A rain band from Tropical Storm Ernesto produced a narrow swath of 3 to 5 inches in eastern Lee County. Rainfall of 4.38 inches was recorded in Lehigh Acres. Minor flooding was reported near Tackahoe Road Near Bedman Creek in Alva and several roads in Lehigh Acres. A second narrow band of heavy rain fell from Captiva Island to south of Fort Myers Beach. Rainfall of 3.28 inches was recorded at Lovers Key. Tides rose to one foot above normal well after Ernesto had passed.

Lee, Florida · Heavy Rain · Aug 30, 05:00 UTC

Ernesto moved off the Florida coast at Cape Canaveral on the morning of August 31st, and reached tropical storm strength by late morning while off the Georgia coast. Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall on the eastern coast of Brunswick County NC near 10:30 pm EST.The South Carolina coast was for the most part spared from tropical storm Ernesto, as the strong winds occurred in North Carolina. Winds did not reach tropical storm strength on the SC coast, with the strongest sustained winds of 35 mph recorded at Myrtle Beach Airport. The main impact in South Carolina was rain, with rainfall totals ranging from just under two inches at Gallivants Ferry, to over seven inches with ponding on roadways at North Myrtle Beach. There were isolated power outages during the storm.

Horry, South Carolina · Heavy Rain · Aug 31, 20:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Ernesto produced flooding and high winds county wide. Emergency officials reported approximately 75 trees were uprooted. Three structures sustained damage as well. There were also numerous reports of road flooding from rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches. Finally...crop and livestock damage was estimated at 14.3 million dollars.

Sampson, North Carolina · Tropical Storm · Sep 1, 07:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Ernesto produced flooding and high winds county wide. Emergency officials reported widespread wind damage from downed trees and large limbs. There were also numerous reports of road flooding from rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches. Finally crop and livestock damage was estimated at 1.6 million dollars.

Wayne, North Carolina · Tropical Storm · Sep 1, 08:00 UTC

The remnants of Tropical Storm Ernesto did not affect Charles County quite as severely as neighboring Calvert and St. Mary's Counties. However, gusty winds up to 50 mph still caused a few downed trees and powerlines, and isolated power outages. The reason for the downed trees was due to a combination of heavy rainfall, which acts to weaken the roots of the trees, combined with the strong winds up to 45 mph. 32 houses received damages from falling trees. In Anne Arundel County, a few trees were downed due to strong winds gusting as high as 45 mph.

Anne Arundel, Maryland · Strong Wind · Sep 1, 16:00 UTC

Heavy rainfall between 7 to 10 inches occurred in St. Mary's, Charles, and Calvert counties. The heaviest rain totals of near 10 inches were reported in southeast St. Mary's County. The heavy rains contributed to the extensive downed trees and powerlines across Lower Southern Maryland.

St. Mary'S, Maryland · Heavy Rain · Sep 1, 16:00 UTC

Storm surge tidal flooding occurred along the Tidal Potomac River from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ernesto, causing extensive flooding and heavy surf action in King George County. Flooding was observed at Fairview Beach. Heavy surf caused extensive beach erosion and subsequent damages to beach areas at Fairview Beach, such as to piers, docks, and bulkheads. The boardwalk was also damaged at Colonial Beach. A tide crest was measured of 5.54 ft. (NAVD88-MSL) on the Tidal Potomac at Alexandria, which was well above the flood stage of 4.0 ft.

King George, Virginia · High Surf · Sep 1, 22:00 UTC

The Lakeville Journal reported that wind gusting up to 50 miles-an-hour winds brought down trees in the vicinity of Lakeville and Salisbury resulting in several power outages. The worst of the damage occurred around Salisbury during the early evening. Other towns affected by power outages were Cornwall, Kent and Falls Village.

Northern Litchfield, Connecticut · High Wind · Sep 2, 16:00 UTC

Law enforcement personnel reported that a tree that was blown down onto I-87 near Plattekill, between exits 18 and 17 caused several auto accidents and minor injuries.

Eastern Ulster, New York · High Wind · Sep 3, 02:32 UTC

• Tropical Storm AlbertoNorth Atlantic · 2006Tropical Storm60 kt · 969 mb
• Unnamed tropical stormNorth Atlantic · 2006Tropical Storm45 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm BerylNorth Atlantic · 2006Tropical Storm50 kt · 1000 mb
• Tropical Storm ChrisNorth Atlantic · 2006Tropical Storm55 kt · 1001 mb
• Tropical Storm DebbyNorth Atlantic · 2006Tropical Storm45 kt · 999 mb
• Hurricane FlorenceNorth Atlantic · 2006Cat 180 kt · 963 mb
• Hurricane GordonNorth Atlantic · 2006 · $3.8 millionCat 3105 kt · 955 mb
• Hurricane HeleneNorth Atlantic · 2006Cat 3105 kt · 955 mb
• Hurricane IsaacNorth Atlantic · 2006Cat 175 kt · 985 mb

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.

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.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Ernesto