Hurricane Dorian
One of the tropical cyclone disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $2.0 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($1.6 billion at the time) and 10 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 86 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
- $2.0 billion
- Losses at the time
- $1.6 billion
- Deaths
- 10
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 | 106 | 0 | 4 | $10 million |
| Florida | 36 | 5 | 0 | $10 million |
| South Dakota | 22 | 0 | 0 | $2.2 million |
| Oklahoma | 61 | 0 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| Minnesota | 33 | 0 | 0 | $665,000 |
| South Carolina | 37 | 0 | 2 | $470,000 |
| Virginia | 32 | 0 | 0 | $340,000 |
| California | 18 | 0 | 3 | $233,000 |
| Colorado | 13 | 0 | 0 | $205,000 |
| Arizona | 24 | 0 | 0 | $191,000 |
| Illinois | 8 | 0 | 1 | $101,000 |
| Texas | 2 | 0 | 0 | $100,000 |
| New York | 5 | 0 | 0 | $78,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 0 | 0 | $56,000 |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| Ohio | 22 | 2 | 1 | $38,000 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 0 | 0 | $27,000 |
| Kansas | 22 | 0 | 0 | $25,000 |
| Maryland | 4 | 0 | 0 | $20,000 |
| Massachusetts | 30 | 0 | 0 | $18,000 |
| Missouri | 31 | 0 | 0 | |
| Puerto Rico | 22 | 0 | 0 | |
| Georgia | 15 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kentucky | 13 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nebraska | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hawaii | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| New Mexico | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Maine | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Utah | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| West Virginia | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Arkansas | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Tornado in Minnesota, August 26, 2019A few weak thunderstorms developed near Lake Mille Lacs the evening of the 26th ahead of a cold front. While the overall threat of severe storms was low, one of the storms did produce a waterspout over Farm Island Lake that did produce damage along the shore.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Kansas, August 26 to 27, 2019A storm complex interacted with a very unstable airmass over southeast Kansas. This produced severe storms with widespread winds over 60 mph over southeast Kansas.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, August 26 to 30, 2019A highly unstable airmass and a cold front produced intense thunderstorms with widespread various severe hazards including widespread wind damage across the OKC metro area.
- Coastal Flood in Maryland, August 26 to 27, 2019Increased easterly and onshore flow led to increased water level anomalies and coastal flooding along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay and lower Tidal Potomac River.
- Flash Flood and Hail in New Mexico, August 27, 2019A moisture intrusion moved west into central New Mexico behind a shallow back door cold front on August 27, 2019. Strong afternoon heating and instability led to a few showers and thunderstorms around the higher terrain.
- Flood in Florida, August 27, 2019Daytime heating combined with sufficient boundary layer moisture and sea breeze development supports scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across most of South Florida, especially during the afternoon.
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, August 27 to 28, 2019Heavy showers developed over the leeward portion of the Big Island of Hawaii two days in a row. The precipitation produced small stream and drainage ditch flooding, and ponding on roadways. No serious injuries or property damage were reported.
- Flash Flood in Kentucky, August 27, 2019Showers and thunderstorms slid from northwest to southeast across eastern Kentucky late this evening into the overnight hours, resulting in an isolated occurrence of flash flooding near Flat Creek in Bath County due to training.
- Hurricane and Tropical Storm in U.S. Virgin Islands, August 28, 2019Tropical Cyclone Dorian affected the area on August 28th. Dorian was upgraded from a tropical storm into a hurricane as the center of the storm moved across the USVI. Hurricane force winds were reported across Saint Thomas.
- Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, August 28 to 29, 2019Tropical Cyclone Dorian affected the area on August 28th-29th. Dorian was upgraded from a tropical storm to a minimal category 1 hurricane during the afternoon of the 28th as the center of the storm moved across the USVI.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, August 28, 2019Thunderstorms produced heavy rain and hail in and around Flagstaff.
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Arizona, August 28 to 29, 2019Scattered thunderstorms developed across portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on August 28th. Some of the stronger storms generated locally heavy rainfall sufficient to result in episodes of both street flooding as well as flash flooding.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Missouri, August 29 to 30, 2019A complex of storms over northern Missouri and southern Iowa on the morning of the 29th pushed an outflow boundary southward into central Missouri during the evening hours.
- Coastal Flood in South Carolina, August 29 to 30, 2019Strong and persistent northeast winds in wake of a front along with favorable astronomical factors led to a few days of moderate to major coastal flooding during high tide cycles near the Southeast South Carolina coast.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Missouri, August 29, 2019Multiple rounds of thunderstorms produced flash flooding, hail round 1 inch, and gusty winds that caused some minor damage.
- Flash Flooding in Utah, August 29, 2019Locally heavy rainfall from thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Capitol Reef National Park.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, August 29, 2019An isolated supercell developed across eastern Keith and Perkins counties and tracked southeastward.
- Coastal Flood in Georgia, August 29 to 30, 2019The approach of the New Moon (Aug 30) and onshore flow produced minor tidal flooding at Atlantic coast tide gages which resulted in minor flooding.
- Coastal Flood in Georgia, August 29 to 31, 2019Strong and persistent northeast winds in wake of a front along with favorable astronomical factors led to a few days of moderate to major coastal flooding during high tide cycles near the Southeast Georgia coast.
- Coastal Flood in Florida, August 29 to 30, 2019The approach of the New Moon (Aug 30) and onshore flow produced minor tidal flooding at Atlantic coast tide gages which resulted in minor flooding.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 29, 2019A thunderstorm produced at least 4 inches of rain (radar estimated) southwest of Cameron. This produced flash flooding down the Tappan Wash and in the Little Colorado River.
- Tornado in Michigan, August 29, 2019A brief, weak tornado touched down near New Lothrup.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Kansas, August 29 to 30, 2019Yet another round of severe t-storms occurred across parts of northeast Kansas on August 29th and August 30th. Damaging winds, large hail and some flooding was reported.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Oklahoma, August 30, 2019A line of thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall and isolated severe hail and wind reports.
- Flood and Coastal Flood in Florida, August 30, 2019Established easterly flow, combined with plentiful low-level moisture, allowed for scattered showers and a few thunderstorms to develop over the Atlantic waters during the morning. These showers/storms moved onshore along the east coast metro during the morning hours.
- Flood and Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 30, 2019Strong to severe thunderstorms developed ahead of an upper level disturbance and a surface cold front.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Texas, August 30 to 31, 2019A complex of storms associated with a quasi-stationary front produced an outflow boundary that caused additional shower/thunderstorm development ahead of the complex. One storm produced 1.25 inch hail in Rockwall County.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Missouri, August 30, 2019An MCV slowly tracked eastward through the forecast area just ahead of a cold front. Numerous showers and storms developed. Some of the storms became severe and produced large hail, damaging winds and flash flooding.
- Coastal Flood in Florida, August 31, 2019Higher than normal tides caused coastal flooding along portions of coastal Miami-Dade County. A new moon phase allowed tides to run about 0.5 to 1 inch above predicted levels.
- Flooding in South Dakota, August 31, 2019As a weak disturbance acted to focus persistent lower to mid-level warm advection, persistent showers with only a rogue flash of lightning or two blossomed in the high moisture content air mass.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Kentucky, August 31, 2019A stationary front was located near Interstate 64 running west to east through north central Kentucky. Above the surface, good shear and steep low level lapse rates made an environment conducive for severe weather development.
- Flood in West Virginia, August 31, 2019A boundary near the Potomac Highlands triggered showers and thunderstorms. A slow storm motion caused an isolated incident of flooding.
- Flooding in Virginia, August 31, 2019A boundary near the Potomac Highlands triggered showers and thunderstorms. A slow storm motion caused an isolated incident of flooding.
- Flooding in South Dakota, September 1 to 30, 2019Spurred by a period of excessive precipitation that saw from 4 to 9 inches of rainfall between September 10-12, the James River basin, which was in flood to start the month, saw extreme rises mid-month. Many lower basin locations reached record stages.
- Flooding in South Dakota, September 1 to 30, 2019Continued high dam releases, along with another period of very heavy rainfall in the middle of the month, maintained river flooding along much of the Missouri River between Fort Randall and Gavins Point Dams.
- Flooding in Wisconsin, September 1 to 30, 2019Elevated lake levels on Lake Michigan caused some isolated flooded areas near the lake on an ongoing basis.
- Flooding in South Dakota, September 1 to 30, 2019James River flooding, which began in early April, remained across Brown county throughout September as much above normal rainfall occurred.
- Flood in Arkansas, September 1 to 5, 2019Flooding continued from late August into early September along the Cache River at Patterson.
- Flood in South Dakota, September 1 to 30, 2019Above normal rainfall in September kept Lake Poinsett high throughout the month and into October. Some structures and roads around the lake remained flooded.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Illinois, September 1, 2019Low pressure tracking slowly northeastward along the I-70 corridor triggered several waves of showers and thunderstorms across central Illinois during the morning of September 1st.
- Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, September 1 to 4, 2019Hurricane Dorian moved slowly northwest away from Grand Bahama Island late in the evening September 2.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Ohio, September 1, 2019Scattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours along a frontal boundary draped across the Ohio Valley.
- Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, September 1, 2019Abundant low-level moisture combined with strong daytime heating and local effects to result in the development of showers and thunderstorms across portions of interior and northwestern Puerto Rico.
- Tornado in Illinois, September 1, 2019A landspout tornado briefly touched down beneath a developing shower in western Cumberland County during the afternoon of September 1st. Only minor crop damage was observed.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Arizona, September 1, 2019Isolated to scattered thunderstorms formed from Tucson westward during the evening producing severe winds gusts and property damage as well as flash flooding.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, September 1 to 2, 2019Urban flooding and isolated strong wind associated with thunderstorms occurred the night of September 1st (early morning September 2nd) as a shortwave passed across the Ohio River Valley.
- Heavy Rain in Hawaii, September 1, 2019Afternoon and evening heavy showers drenched parts of Upcountry Maui and leeward sections of the Big Island of Hawaii. The rain produced small stream and drainage ditch flooding, and ponding on roadways. No serious property damage or injuries were reported.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, September 1, 2019Isolated to scattered monsoon thunderstorms developed across portions of the central deserts to the southwest of Phoenix during the evening hours on September 1st.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Arizona, September 1, 2019Thunderstorms produced heavy rain, flash flooding, and strong winds in Yavapai County.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Arizona, September 1 to 2, 2019Isolated to scattered monsoon thunderstorms developed across portions of La Paz County, in the deserts of southwest Arizona, during the evening hours on September 1st.
- Flash Flooding in California, September 1 to 2, 2019Late evening monsoon thunderstorms developed across far eastern Riverside County on September 1st, and some of the stronger storms generated locally heavy rainfall with peak rain rates that exceeded one inch per hour.
- Flash Flood and Dust Storm in California, September 1 to 2, 2019Excessive heat conditions helped maintain thunderstorms which rolled in from the east late in the evening, bringing damaging winds and isolated flash flooding.
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in California, September 2 to 14, 2019Upper level high pressure centered over the Four Corners ushered in moisture from the southeast into SoCal starting on Labor Day. Monsoon thunderstorms impacted the mountains and deserts September 2 through 5th.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in New York, September 2, 2019A cold front in tandem with a mid level disturbance triggered severe thunderstorms, including a tornado in Manorville.
- Flooding in Massachusetts, September 2, 2019A cold front approaching the area triggered showers and embedded thunderstorms, with locally heavy rainfall. This led to street flooding in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
- Flooding in Rhode Island, September 2, 2019A cold front approaching the area triggered showers and embedded thunderstorms, with locally heavy rain. This led to street flooding in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, September 2, 2019A line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed across North Dakota during the afternoon of Monday, September 2nd. This line of storms continued to move southeast across west central, central, and southern Minnesota during the evening.
- Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, September 3, 2019Powerful Hurricane Dorian passed 100 miles to the east of Palm Beach County over the northwestern Bahamas.
- Flood and Damaging Wind in Illinois, September 3, 2019Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northern Illinois during the morning of September 3rd. A wake low developed behind these thunderstorms producing strong winds that caused some wind damage.
- Tornado in Illinois, September 3, 2019A thunderstorm moved across far northeast Illinois during the evening of September 3rd producing a tornado.
- Flash Flooding in Colorado, September 3, 2019During the late evening hours on September 3rd, a few scattered thunderstorms developed over the Spring burn scar in Huerfano County. These storms slowly moved to the east-northeast producing heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding and debris flows on the Spring burn scar.
- Tropical Storm in Florida, September 4, 2019Hurricane Dorian passed between 80-100 NM offshore of the local Atlantic Coast through the day on Sept. 4, 2019, as a Cat 2 storm on its closet approach.
- Tropical Storm and Tropical Depression in Georgia, September 4 to 5, 2019Dorian started as a Tropical Depression in the south-central Atlantic Ocean on August 24th. Dorian quickly became a Tropical Storm and moved with a west-northwestward motion as it moved through the Lesser Antilles.
- Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 4, 2019Hurricane Dorian passed between 80-100 NM offshore of the local Atlantic Coast through the day on Sept. 4, 2019, as a Cat 2 storm on its closet approach.
- Tropical Storm and Flash Flood in South Carolina, September 4 to 5, 2019Dorian started as a Tropical Depression in the south-central Atlantic Ocean on August 24th. Dorian quickly became a Tropical Storm and moved with a west-northwestward motion as it moved through the Lesser Antilles.
- Tornado and Hail in Connecticut, September 4, 2019A cold front pushed through southern New England in the evening. It was preceded by a strong upper level short wave, which tapped very unstable air to produce severe thunderstorms in CT and MA. An EF-1 tornado occurred in Tolland County in the late afternoon.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Arizona, September 4, 2019Isolated monsoon thunderstorms developed across the southwestern deserts during the evening hours on September 4th and some of them affected areas to the northeast of Yuma and east of the lower Colorado River valley.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in South Carolina, September 5, 2019Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane as it moved through the Bahamas, with devastating damage. It weakened as it moved up the eastern seaboard. The hurricane was a strong Category 1 as it passed just east of Bald Head Island.
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane as it moved through the Bahamas, with devastating damage. It weakened as it moved up the eastern seaboard. The hurricane was a strong Category 1 as it passed just east of Bald Head Island.
- Tropical Storm in South Carolina, September 5, 2019Dorian formed into a tropical depression over the tropical Atlantic waters on August 24, 2019 then moved to the W and NW towards the Lesser Antilles over the next several days while strengthening into a Tropical Storm.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian moved north and northeastward near and along the coast of North Carolina on September 5th and 6th, with Dorian making landfall along the Outer Banks of North Carolina during the morning of September 6th.
- Tropical Storm in Virginia, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm winds and associated wind damage across portions of southeast Virginia.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced hurricane force wind gusts and associated wind damage across portions of coastal northeast North Carolina.
- Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm winds and associated wind damage across portions of northeast North Carolina.
- Tropical Storm in Maryland, September 5 to 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm winds and associated wind damage across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Tornadoes in North Carolina, September 5, 2019The center of Hurricane Dorian tracked north northeast just off the southeast North Carolina coast late Thursday night, September 5th into early Friday morning, September 6th.
- Coastal Flood in North Carolina, September 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced very strong northeast to north winds which caused moderate to major coastal flooding across portions of the northeast North Carolina Coastal Waters and the Albemarle Sound.
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, September 6 to 7, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of northeast North Carolina.
- Heavy Rain in Virginia, September 6 to 7, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced heavy rain which caused minor flooding across portions of southeast Virginia.
- Coastal Flood in Virginia, September 6, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracking northeast along the North Carolina coast and just off the Virginia coast produced very strong northeast to north winds which caused moderate to major coastal flooding across portions of the southern Chesapeake Bay and James River.
- Tornado and Hail in Colorado, September 6, 2019Severe thunderstorms produced a combination of large hail and heavy rain over parts of Arapahoe, Clear Creek, Douglas and Jefferson counties.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Colorado, September 6, 2019A severe thunderstorm developed just north of the region and drifted into northern El Paso County on the evening of September 6th. As the storm moved towards I-25 it began to produce large hail. One report of quarter size hail was sent by a trained spotter.
- Tropical Storm and Flood in Massachusetts, September 6 to 7, 2019Hurricane Dorian passed about 140 miles southeast of Nantucket, MA early on September 7th. It caused brief sustained winds just above 40 mph and wind gusts to just above 60 mph in extreme southeastern Massachusetts, which caused some minor wind damage.
- Tropical Depression in Maine, September 7, 2019Hurricane Dorian tracked south of the Gulf of Maine during the 7th...making landfall near Halifax Nova Scotia that afternoon. Sustained winds across central and coastal portions of Washington county generally ranged from 20 to 30 mph...with peak gusts of 40 to 45 mph.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, September 7, 2019A thunderstorm caused heavy rain and flash flooding in Big Bug Creek.
More
Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2019The 2019 hurricane seasonTornadoes in 2019
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.