Hurricane Bill (2009)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

August 15, 2009 to August 26, 2009

Peak strength

Category 4, 115 kt (132 mph)

Lowest pressure

943 mb (27.85 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

26.5

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

275 nmi (509 km, 316 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

100 nmi (185 km, 115 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

20 nmi (37 km, 23 mi)

Overall size

395 nmi (732 km, 455 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

140 kt (161 mph)

Fastest the center moved

44 kt (51 mph)

Identifier

AL032009

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

2 (2 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

18

Property damage

$710,000

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

50 in 16 reports from 11 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

20 flash flood, 15 high surf, 7 rip current, 4 flood, 3 coastal flood, 1 tropical storm.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 176 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 5.31 inches (135 mm).

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

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

An Orlando man who was body-boarding in swells on Bethune Beach in New Smyrna Beach associated with distant Hurricane Bill, was battered by large waves as he ventured out further than his family into the pounding surf. He was then washed back towards shore unconscious and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Coastal Volusia County, Florida · High Surf · Aug 22, 12:00 UTC

Long period swells from Hurricane Bill produced high surf and strong rip currents at Wrightsville Beach and surrounding communities. Lifeguards at Wrightsville Beach reported nearly 50 rip current and high surf rescues. One man was slightly injured and was transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons.

New Hanover, North Carolina · Rip Current · Aug 22, 14:00 UTC

Thunderstorms with torrential downpours rapidly caused flash flooding of smaller streams and roadways in central Caroline County. Up to nearly ten inches of rain fell that morning and around an additional two to three inches of rain fell that afternoon and evening. Event precipitation totals included 13.13 inches in Ridgely and 6.65 inches in Denton.

Caroline, Maryland · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 21:15 UTC

Thunderstorms with torrential downpours led to considerable poor drainage flooding as well as flooding of some creeks in central and western Mercer County. The Assunpink Creek flooded. In and around Lawrence and Hamilton Townships, over a dozen motorists were rescued from stranded vehicles; some drove around barricades. Sections of both Princeton Pike and Lawrenceville Road (U.S. Route 206) were closed in Lawrence Township. Three homes had flood waters into their basements. Off of Green Avenue, the terrain was washed away leading to a footbridge that crossed a small stream off of Lawrenceville Road. Two day event precipitation totals included 7.60 inches in Lawrenceville, 5.08 inches in Washington Crossing, 4.47 inches in Hamilton Square and 3.91 inches in Trenton.

Mercer, New Jersey · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 22:00 UTC

Dublin and Harkness Roads were both flooded, resulting in road washouts on both. Dublin Road was able to be re-opened two days later. Harkness Road was completely washed out and remained closed several days later. In addition, at least one basement was flooded in Jaffrey on Pine Street.

Cheshire, New Hampshire · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 22:00 UTC

A little over five inches of rain fell in eight hours, with most of the rain falling between 3 and 7pm across Hillsborough County. This resulted in numerous road closures. Two of these roads were closed as the result of a mudslide and collapsed hillside that spread across the Route 202 North just before its intersection with Route 136 in Peterborough. In addition, portions of Routes 136 and 101, as well as Ashlee Drive and Sand Hill, Old Dublin, Slab, Gulf, Old Greenfield, Forest, Cavender, County, Old Bennington and Hopkins Roads were undermined, flooded, and/or closed. The Peterborough Fire Department rescued seven people who were trapped in their cars on Old Greenfield Road. Route 101 east flooded with two to three inches of flowing water, which flooded and eroded yards nearby. Floodwaters were forceful enough that they moved a guardrail on Route 136.

Hillsborough, New Hampshire · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 22:51 UTC

Nearly stationary thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused considerable roadway flooding as well as flooding of smaller streams in central and southern Queen Anne's County. Water on roadways were described as waist deep. Side streets were flooded and closed in Centreville. Flooding was also reported along Maryland State Route 404. Doppler Radar storm total estimates for the afternoon and evening of the 22nd averaged around three inches.

Queen Anne'S, Maryland · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 23:00 UTC

Slow moving thunderstorms with heavy rain caused flash flooding along the Frankford Creek within Philadelphia. The Frankford Creek at Castor Avenue was above its 7 foot flood stage from 714 p.m. EDT through 752 p.m. EDT on the 22nd. It crested at 7.8 feet at 730 p.m. EDT. Event precipitation totals included 3.35 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 23:14 UTC

Thunderstorms with heavy rain caused considerable roadway and field flooding as well as flooding of smaller streams in central and western Kent County. In Harrington, senior citizens were evacuated from the Heritage Manor Apartment Complex after water became knee deep on nearby streets. Event precipitation totals included 6.52 inches in Hartley, 6.50 inches six miles west of Dover. 3.60 inches within Dover and 3.20 inches in Harrington.

Kent, Delaware · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 23:15 UTC

Nearly stationary thunderstorms with heavy rain caused considerable roadway and field flooding as well as flooding of smaller streams in the western half of Sussex County. In Greenwood, an overflowing drainage ditch brought flood waters into backyards and under homes. Considerable field flooding was reported along U.S. Route 13 between Harrington (Kent County) and Seaford. Event precipitation totals included 3.56 inches in Delmar.

Sussex, Delaware · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 23:35 UTC

Thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused flash flooding along some of the smaller streams within Lower Merion Township. In the Wynnewood section of the township, the West Branch of the Indian Creek flooded along Allandale and Andover Roads. Cars in driveways were inundated and damaged or destoryed. A few water rescues were performed and basements were flooded. Mud and debris was left about on third of the way up driveways. Vehicle water rescues were also performed along the Mill Creek. Precipitation event totals included 5.35 inches in Wynnewood, 3.35 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport and 2.45 inches in Norristown.

Montgomery, Pennsylvania · Flash Flood · Aug 22, 23:45 UTC

Minor coastal flooding occurred in Narragansett at Scarborough Beach and in Charlestown. Ocean waters reached the base of the boardwalk at Scarborough Beach. In Charlestown, several driveways on Charlestown Beach Road were flooded with ocean waters.

Washington, Rhode Island · Coastal Flood · Aug 23, 01:30 UTC

Minor coastal flooding affected Atlantic Street running through Codfish Park on the southeastern coast of Nantucket. On the southwestern coast of Nantucket, in Madaket, three homes on Massachusetts Avenue were surrounded by ocean waters. Only one of the homes is occupied and water two and a half feet deep surrounded that home.

Nantucket, Massachusetts · Tropical Storm · Aug 23, 03:53 UTC

Runoff from heavy rain that fell from the night of the 21st into the 22nd caused flooding along sections of the Millstone River and road closures such as the Griggstown Causeway. The Millstone River at Blackwells Mills was above its 9 foot flood stage from 158 a.m. EDT through 1018 p.m. EDT on the 23rd. It crested at 10.43 feet at 1015 a.m. EDT. The Millstone River at Weston also flooded and was above its 12.4 foot flood stage from 344 a.m. EDT through 1103 p.m. EDT on the 23rd. It crested at 13.2 feet at 1230 a.m. EDT. Two day event precipitation totals included 4.72 inches in Belle Mead, 3.80 inches in Bound Brook, 3.38 inches in Hillsborough and 2.81 inches in Bridgewater.

Somerset, New Jersey · Flood · Aug 23, 06:58 UTC

• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Depression30 kt · 1006 mb
• Tropical Storm AnaNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm35 kt · 1003 mb
• Tropical Storm ClaudetteNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm50 kt · 1005 mb
• Tropical Storm DannyNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm50 kt · 1006 mb
• Tropical Storm ErikaNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm45 kt · 1004 mb
• Hurricane FredNorth Atlantic · 2009Cat 3105 kt · 958 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Depression30 kt · 1008 mb
• Tropical Storm GraceNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm55 kt · 986 mb
• Tropical Storm HenriNorth Atlantic · 2009Tropical Storm45 kt · 1005 mb
• Hurricane IdaNorth Atlantic · 2009Cat 290 kt · 975 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 Bill