Hurricane Bonnie
One of the tropical cyclone disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $1.9 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($980 million at the time) and 3 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 42 most significant tropical cyclone episodes filed in these dates, colored by kind.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Losses, 2024 dollars
- $1.9 billion
- Losses at the time
- $980 million
- Deaths
- 3
The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.
By state, as filed
| State | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 47 | 1 | 0 | $330 million |
| Virginia | 6 | 0 | 4 | $27 million |
| South Carolina | 2 | 0 | 0 | $3.8 million |
| Ohio | 5 | 0 | 0 | $250,000 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 0 | 0 | $200,000 |
| Texas | 8 | 0 | 0 | $100,000 |
| New York | 2 | 0 | 0 | $57,000 |
| Kansas | 29 | 0 | 0 | $51,000 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| Florida | 3 | 0 | 0 | $17,000 |
| California | 1 | 0 | 0 | $10,000 |
| North Dakota | 21 | 0 | 0 | $200 |
| South Dakota | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Arizona | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| New Jersey | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Missouri | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Flash Flooding in New York, August 25, 1998Slow moving thunderstorms moved across the Rochester metro area producing two to four inches of rain in just a few hours. Widespread urban flooding occurred. The Monroe County Sheriff reported numerous roads closed across the south and southeast suburbs of Rochester.
- Heavy Rain in New Mexico, August 25, 1998Heavy rain produced extensive street flooding and damaged business and homes in the South Valley section of Albuquerque.
- Flood in Ohio, August 25 to 26, 1998The Maumee River at Waterville exceeded its flood stage of nine feet and crested at 9.4 feet at 0200 EST on 08/26/98. There was only minor flooding of low lying areas.
- Flood in Texas, August 25 to 27, 1998The Pecos River drainage above Iraan received 7 inches of rain in three hours ending near 7 AM of Tuesday August 25. Four inches fell between 6 and 7 AM. This produced a potentially deadly 14 foot crest at Pandale Crossing (70,820 cfs).
- Flash Flooding in Texas, August 25 to 26, 1998For the fourth night in a row, scattered showers and thunderstorms redeveloped by the late night and early morning hours. The rain began in eastern Val Verde County between Lake Amistad and Del Rio, then spread into western Kinney County and finally into southern Edwards County.
- Flood in Florida, August 25, 1998Three homes in Fernandina Beach with minor flooding due to an abnormal high tide.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 1998Hurricane Bonnie, a minimal Catagory III Hurricane approached the coast of North Carolina on August 26th. The slow moving hurricane initially crossed Cape Fear during the late afternoon on the 26th, then pivoted northeast along the North Carolina coast during the evening.
- Flood in Ohio, August 26 to 27, 1998The Portage River at Pemberville over flowed its banks and caused flooding of streets, basements and low lying areas.
- Flash Flood in Ohio, August 26, 1998Heavy thunderstorm rain caused flooding of basements, roads and low lying areas.
- Flood in Ohio, August 26, 1998The Vermilion River at Clarksfield overflowed its banks and flooded streets, basements and low lying areas. Six families had to evacuate their homes.
- Flood in Ohio, August 26 to 27, 1998The Huron River at Monroeville overflowed its banks and flooded streets, basements and low lying areas. Some people had to evacuate their homes.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998The eye of slow-moving Hurricane Bonnie made landfall at Bald Head Island during mid-afternoon and took 2 hours to exit the county.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998The eye of slow-moving Hurricane Bonnie made landfall at Cape Fear during the late afternon and moved up thecoast, with the stronger east side of the storm remaining offshore.
- Hurricane in South Carolina, August 26, 1998Several trees down in the Mt. Pleasant area of Charleston County as Hurricane Bonnie passed east of the area headed for the North Carolina coast.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998Hurricane Bonnie moved slowly up the county coastline with the more powerful wind on the east side of the storm remaining offshore. The highest wind gust report was 98 MPH in Topsail Beach.
- Hurricane in South Carolina, August 26, 1998The center of Hurricane Bonnie came within 70 miles of the Horry County coast as the storm tracked north during the afternoon and early evening.
- Tornado and Hail in North Dakota, August 26, 1998The hail lasted for 20 minutes and covered the ground.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998The most destructive of the tornadoes assciated with Hurricane Bonnie started out as a waterspout then came ashore as a tornodo on Privers Island about 1/2 mile west of the city of Beaufort. The tornodo extensively damaged 3 buildings at the Duke Marine Lab.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998A brief tornado touchdown in the Riverdale section of Craven county, about 8 miles northwest of Havelock. This storm completely knocked a home off it's foundation and caused damage to several other homes in the neighborhood.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998Several large trees were knocked down in vicinity of Dawson Point road near Oriental.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998Another brief touchdown destroyed the Fire Hall in Potters Hill on NC Highway 41. Some nearby homes also sustained minor damage. The tornado ripped the fire department bay off it's foundation and moved it a few inches.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998A tornado touchdown in Gum Neck about 13 miles southeast of Columbia damaged 2 storage buildings and tossed them 100 yards. A couple of farm sheds were damaged and several large trees were down on homes. The tornado also destroyed a power transformer on Highway 41.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998A small tornado produced minor damage with a tree blown into the front porch of a house.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998Public reported a tornado touchdown with no damage.
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998A tornodo ripped off most of the roof on a home in Wenona. 2 homes on either side of the damaged home were unscathed.
- Flash Flooding in New Jersey, August 26, 1998The warm and humid tropical air mass that was in place over the region preceding Hurricane Bonnie combined with a dissipating cold front to produce thunderstorms with torrential downpours in central New Jersey.
- Flooding and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, August 26 to 27, 1998Very heavy rains of 3 to over 6 inches fell across far eastern Corson, most of Campbell and Walworth counties during the evening hours of the 26th. The heavy rain caused the flooding of many roads along with some highways through the night and through the morning of the 27th.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 1998Hurricane Bonnie moved along the coast of northeast North Carolina on August 27th. Very strong winds and heavy rains associated with Bonnie's spiral bands hammered northeast North Carolina Thursday afternoon into early Friday morning.
- Hurricane in Virginia, August 26 to 28, 1998Hurricane Bonnie moved just offshore of southeast Virginia on August 27th and 28th. Very strong winds and heavy rains associated with Bonnie's spiral bands hammered the Hampton Roads area Thursday evening into Friday morning.
- Flood in Missouri, August 27, 1998Heavy rain caused some street flooding in Columbia. Some roads and intersections had water up to the bottom of cars.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Kansas, August 27, 1998Sprinkler irrigation turned over. Four inch tree limbs down.
- Flood in Florida, August 27, 1998Heavy rainfall caused localized street flooding in low lying and areas of poor drainage in Cape Coral.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 27 to 28, 1998Hurricane Bonnie made landfall along the southern coast of North Carolina. Only fringe effects were felt in the central sections of the state. Rainbands associated with Bonnie spread inland as far west as Louisburg...Raleigh...Raven Rock...Fort Bragg...and Fayetteville.
- Flash Flood in Puerto Rico, August 28, 1998Heavy rains associated with hurricane Danielle when it was passing northeast of the region produced several flooded roads and landslides in Bayamon, Guaynabo, Toa Alta, and Vega Alta. Various streams in Bayamon and Guaynabo went out of their banks flooding adjacent roads.
- Flash Flood and Hail in New Mexico, August 28, 1998Heavy damage was reported at the Catron County Fairgrounds following torrential rain of 2.5 inches in about an hour. Early warnings from the National Weather Service allowed county officials to evacuate 6 homes well ahead of the water and debris flow.
- Flood in Florida, August 28, 1998Heavy rainfall of two to four inches in less than two hours caused localized flooding of streets and low lying areas from Lakeland south to Mulberry.
- Heavy Rain in Massachusetts, August 29, 1998Tropical Storm Bonnie tracked to the east-northeast well to the south of Cape Cod and the Islands. A heavy outer rain band affected a small part of southern Plymouth County.
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Texas, August 29, 1998A small and short-lived tornado was observed by the public at Lake Travis. The tornado tore the roof off a mobile home and caused other minor damage in the immediate area before lifting and dissipating.
- Flash Flooding in Texas, August 29, 1998Scattered showers and thunderstorms that formed in the late afternoon heating produced general 1 inch rain totals that briefly flooded isolated low water crossings in northeastern Val Verde County and western Edwards County.
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 30, 1998Thunderstorms caused heavy rains measuring over 3 inches per hour, resulting in flooding of creeks and swamps already swollen by Hurricane Bonnie rains.
- Flash Flood in California, August 30, 1998Worst cast hydro scenario with storm moving eastward at 3 MPH down the watershed of the steep Indian Wells Canyon. State Highway 14 affected by water over the roadway 1 mile north of State Highway 178.
- Flood and Hail in Arizona, August 30, 1998An isolated thunderstorm dropped hail that ranged in diameter from 0.75 to 1.00 inch in diameter. The thunderstorm also produced rainfall sufficient to cause widespread street flooding and minor flooding of a few homes in Chino Valley.
More
Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 1998The 1998 hurricane seasonTornadoes in 1998
Sources
NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.