Hurricane Hugo
Sep 10, 1989 to Sep 25, 1989Peak 161 mph918 mb
Hurricane Hugo passed within 50 miles of 176 counties in 8 states. It was strongest near Charleston County, SC, as a Category 4 on September 22, 1989.
- Major hurricane
- Hurricane
- Tropical storm
- Post-tropical
Hurricane Hugo · 1989
How it happened
Follow the storm’s path, strength and milestones.
The storm
- Peak strength
- Category 5
- 161 mph, 140 kt
- Lowest pressure
- 918 mb
- Over the whole track
- Counties within 50 miles
- 176
- KY, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
- Counties within 100 miles
- 301
- GA, KY, MD, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
- Landfalls recorded
- 5
- Anywhere on the track
Every county it passed
Closest approach to each county boundary, with the storm’s strength at that moment.
| Wyoming County | WV | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| York County | SC | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Putnam County | WV | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Chester County | SC | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Caldwell County | NC | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Wood County | WV | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Washington County | VA | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Tazewell County | VA | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Charleston County | SC | 0.0 | Category 4 |
| Sumter County | SC | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Crawford County | PA | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Lincoln County | NC | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Boone County | WV | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Watauga County | NC | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Monroe County | OH | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Berkeley County | SC | 0.0 | Category 3 |
| Kershaw County | SC | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Clarendon County | SC | 0.0 | Category 2 |
| Mahoning County | OH | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Harrison County | OH | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Johnson County | TN | 0.5 | Tropical storm |
| Buchanan County | VA | 0.7 | Tropical storm |
| Burke County | NC | 1.7 | Tropical storm |
| Noble County | OH | 2.0 | Tropical storm |
| Mingo County | WV | 2.0 | Tropical storm |
| Smyth County | VA | 2.4 | Tropical storm |
| Logan County | WV | 3.0 | Tropical storm |
| McDowell County | WV | 3.0 | Tropical storm |
| Kanawha County | WV | 3.0 | Tropical storm |
| Cleveland County | NC | 3.1 | Tropical storm |
| Fairfield County | SC | 4.0 | Category 1 |
| Richland County | SC | 4.0 | Category 1 |
| Ashe County | NC | 4.4 | Tropical storm |
| Orangeburg County | SC | 4.7 | Category 2 |
| Columbiana County | OH | 5.3 | Tropical storm |
| Gaston County | NC | 5.6 | Tropical storm |
| Jefferson County | OH | 6.0 | Tropical storm |
| Wirt County | WV | 6.0 | Tropical storm |
| Carroll County | OH | 6.0 | Tropical storm |
| Catawba County | NC | 6.2 | Tropical storm |
| Ashtabula County | OH | 6.4 | Tropical storm |
| Trumbull County | OH | 6.4 | Tropical storm |
| Mercer County | PA | 7.1 | Tropical storm |
| Lincoln County | WV | 7.1 | Tropical storm |
| Lancaster County | SC | 7.4 | Category 1 |
| Avery County | NC | 7.4 | Tropical storm |
| Jackson County | WV | 7.7 | Tropical storm |
| Washington County | OH | 8.8 | Tropical storm |
| Cherokee County | SC | 8.8 | Category 1 |
| Russell County | VA | 9.2 | Tropical storm |
| Belmont County | OH | 9.4 | Tropical storm |
| Mecklenburg County | NC | 10.1 | Category 1 |
| Dorchester County | SC | 10.6 | Category 3 |
| Ritchie County | WV | 11.2 | Tropical storm |
| Calhoun County | SC | 11.2 | Category 1 |
| Grayson County | VA | 11.3 | Tropical storm |
| Williamsburg County | SC | 11.4 | Category 2 |
| Meigs County | OH | 11.5 | Tropical storm |
| McDowell County | NC | 11.6 | Tropical storm |
| Sullivan County | TN | 11.7 | Tropical storm |
| Athens County | OH | 12.4 | Tropical storm |
| Pike County | KY | 12.5 | Tropical storm |
| Mason County | WV | 12.6 | Tropical storm |
| Carter County | TN | 12.9 | Tropical storm |
| Roane County | WV | 12.9 | Tropical storm |
| Lawrence County | PA | 13.7 | Tropical storm |
| Beaver County | PA | 13.7 | Tropical storm |
| Rutherford County | NC | 13.8 | Tropical storm |
| Cabell County | WV | 13.9 | Tropical storm |
| Portage County | OH | 14.1 | Tropical storm |
| Union County | NC | 14.2 | Category 1 |
| Lee County | SC | 14.5 | Category 1 |
| Wilkes County | NC | 14.5 | Tropical storm |
| Guernsey County | OH | 14.5 | Tropical storm |
| Tuscarawas County | OH | 14.9 | Tropical storm |
| Raleigh County | WV | 15.0 | Tropical storm |
| Mitchell County | NC | 15.7 | Tropical storm |
| Pleasants County | WV | 16.8 | Tropical storm |
| Morgan County | OH | 17.6 | Tropical storm |
| Tyler County | WV | 18.3 | Tropical storm |
| Stark County | OH | 18.5 | Tropical storm |
| Calhoun County | WV | 18.7 | Tropical storm |
| Wetzel County | WV | 19.3 | Tropical storm |
| Bland County | VA | 19.5 | Tropical storm |
| Brooke County | WV | 19.6 | Tropical storm |
| Hancock County | WV | 19.7 | Tropical storm |
| Ohio County | WV | 20.3 | Tropical storm |
| Alexander County | NC | 20.6 | Tropical storm |
| Marshall County | WV | 21.2 | Tropical storm |
| Colleton County | SC | 21.2 | Category 3 |
| Gallia County | OH | 21.7 | Tropical storm |
| Bristol city | VA | 22.0 | Tropical storm |
| Union County | SC | 22.0 | Category 1 |
| Wayne County | WV | 22.3 | Tropical storm |
| Fayette County | WV | 22.9 | Tropical storm |
| Muskingum County | OH | 22.9 | Tropical storm |
| Dickenson County | VA | 23.3 | Tropical storm |
| Mercer County | WV | 23.4 | Tropical storm |
| Wythe County | VA | 23.4 | Tropical storm |
| Georgetown County | SC | 24.3 | Category 3 |
| Lexington County | SC | 24.5 | Category 1 |
| Alleghany County | NC | 24.9 | Tropical storm |
| Yancey County | NC | 24.9 | Tropical storm |
| Venango County | PA | 25.0 | Tropical storm |
| Chesterfield County | SC | 26.0 | Category 1 |
| Washington County | PA | 26.8 | Tropical storm |
| Lawrence County | OH | 26.9 | Tropical storm |
| Iredell County | NC | 27.0 | Tropical storm |
| Gilmer County | WV | 27.6 | Tropical storm |
| Darlington County | SC | 27.6 | Category 1 |
| Clay County | WV | 28.0 | Tropical storm |
| Newberry County | SC | 28.0 | Category 1 |
| Geauga County | OH | 29.1 | Tropical storm |
| Lake County | OH | 29.1 | Tropical storm |
| Florence County | SC | 29.5 | Category 1 |
| Butler County | PA | 29.7 | Tropical storm |
| Spartanburg County | SC | 30.1 | Category 1 |
| Unicoi County | TN | 30.2 | Tropical storm |
| Martin County | KY | 31.1 | Tropical storm |
| Coshocton County | OH | 32.5 | Tropical storm |
| Washington County | TN | 32.6 | Tropical storm |
| Wise County | VA | 32.7 | Tropical storm |
| Nicholas County | WV | 32.9 | Tropical storm |
| Polk County | NC | 32.9 | Tropical storm |
| Scott County | VA | 33.2 | Tropical storm |
| Cabarrus County | NC | 33.6 | Category 1 |
| Summit County | OH | 34.5 | Tropical storm |
| Buncombe County | NC | 34.7 | Tropical storm |
| Allegheny County | PA | 34.8 | Tropical storm |
| Doddridge County | WV | 34.9 | Tropical storm |
| Holmes County | OH | 35.8 | Tropical storm |
| Bamberg County | SC | 36.3 | Category 2 |
| Greene County | PA | 36.9 | Tropical storm |
| Summers County | WV | 37.0 | Tropical storm |
| Lawrence County | KY | 37.5 | Tropical storm |
| Laurens County | SC | 38.4 | Category 1 |
| Carroll County | VA | 38.8 | Tropical storm |
| Anson County | NC | 39.4 | Category 1 |
| Rowan County | NC | 39.6 | Category 1 |
| Vinton County | OH | 39.8 | Tropical storm |
| Madison County | NC | 40.1 | Tropical storm |
| Perry County | OH | 40.3 | Tropical storm |
| Braxton County | WV | 40.4 | Tropical storm |
| Wayne County | OH | 40.6 | Tropical storm |
| Giles County | VA | 40.9 | Tropical storm |
| Aiken County | SC | 41.3 | Category 1 |
| Hocking County | OH | 41.6 | Tropical storm |
| Stanly County | NC | 41.6 | Category 1 |
| Surry County | NC | 42.0 | Tropical storm |
| Marion County | WV | 42.5 | Tropical storm |
| Jackson County | OH | 42.6 | Tropical storm |
| Cuyahoga County | OH | 43.2 | Tropical storm |
| Lewis County | WV | 43.2 | Tropical storm |
| Saluda County | SC | 43.2 | Category 1 |
| Boyd County | KY | 43.6 | Tropical storm |
| Henderson County | NC | 43.6 | Tropical storm |
| Floyd County | KY | 43.8 | Tropical storm |
| Harrison County | WV | 43.8 | Tropical storm |
| Galax city | VA | 44.0 | Tropical storm |
| Letcher County | KY | 44.9 | Tropical storm |
| Monongalia County | WV | 44.9 | Tropical storm |
| Beaufort County | SC | 45.0 | Category 4 |
| Pulaski County | VA | 45.5 | Tropical storm |
| Greenup County | KY | 46.8 | Tropical storm |
| Yadkin County | NC | 47.0 | Tropical storm |
| Johnson County | KY | 47.0 | Tropical storm |
| Greenville County | SC | 47.2 | Tropical storm |
| Clarion County | PA | 48.0 | Tropical storm |
| Greenbrier County | WV | 48.4 | Tropical storm |
| Norton city | VA | 48.8 | Tropical storm |
| Davie County | NC | 49.2 | Tropical storm |
| Forest County | PA | 49.4 | Tropical storm |
| Armstrong County | PA | 49.4 | Tropical storm |
| Scioto County | OH | 49.6 | Tropical storm |
| Medina County | OH | 49.8 | Tropical storm |
| Hawkins County | TN | 49.8 | Tropical storm |
| Greene County | TN | 50.6 | Tropical storm |
| Barnwell County | SC | 50.8 | Category 1 |
| Monroe County | WV | 51.5 | Tropical storm |
| Licking County | OH | 51.7 | Tropical storm |
| Knott County | KY | 53.2 | Tropical storm |
| Carter County | KY | 53.4 | Tropical storm |
| Hampton County | SC | 53.9 | Category 3 |
| Marlboro County | SC | 55.2 | Category 1 |
| Allendale County | SC | 55.8 | Category 2 |
| Marion County | SC | 55.8 | Category 2 |
| Westmoreland County | PA | 56.8 | Tropical storm |
| Lee County | VA | 57.5 | Tropical storm |
| Fayette County | PA | 58.3 | Tropical storm |
| Jasper County | SC | 58.3 | Category 3 |
| Fairfield County | OH | 58.3 | Tropical storm |
| Dillon County | SC | 58.4 | Category 1 |
| Davidson County | NC | 59.1 | Tropical storm |
| Richmond County | NC | 59.2 | Category 1 |
| Elliott County | KY | 60.2 | Tropical storm |
| Knox County | OH | 60.3 | Tropical storm |
| Montgomery County | NC | 60.7 | Category 1 |
| Webster County | WV | 60.7 | Tropical storm |
| Edgefield County | SC | 60.8 | Category 1 |
| Magoffin County | KY | 61.3 | Tropical storm |
| Taylor County | WV | 61.6 | Tropical storm |
| Floyd County | VA | 61.9 | Tropical storm |
| Hancock County | TN | 62.0 | Tropical storm |
| Horry County | SC | 62.1 | Category 3 |
| Patrick County | VA | 62.4 | Tropical storm |
| Montgomery County | VA | 62.4 | Tropical storm |
| Pike County | OH | 62.5 | Tropical storm |
| Ashland County | OH | 63.1 | Tropical storm |
| Greenwood County | SC | 63.2 | Category 1 |
| Harlan County | KY | 63.3 | Tropical storm |
| Lorain County | OH | 63.3 | Tropical storm |
| Upshur County | WV | 63.7 | Tropical storm |
| Radford city | VA | 63.8 | Tropical storm |
| Haywood County | NC | 64.1 | Tropical storm |
| Morgan County | KY | 65.1 | Tropical storm |
| Breathitt County | KY | 65.3 | Tropical storm |
| Forsyth County | NC | 66.0 | Tropical storm |
| Transylvania County | NC | 66.0 | Tropical storm |
| Ross County | OH | 66.2 | Tropical storm |
| Cocke County | TN | 67.0 | Tropical storm |
| Lewis County | KY | 67.3 | Tropical storm |
| Jefferson County | PA | 67.4 | Tropical storm |
| Barbour County | WV | 67.8 | Tropical storm |
| Perry County | KY | 68.8 | Tropical storm |
| Pickens County | SC | 68.9 | Tropical storm |
| Pickaway County | OH | 69.4 | Tropical storm |
| Scotland County | NC | 70.4 | Category 1 |
| Stokes County | NC | 70.6 | Tropical storm |
| Randolph County | NC | 71.5 | Category 1 |
| Richland County | OH | 71.7 | Tropical storm |
| Elk County | PA | 71.9 | Tropical storm |
| Craig County | VA | 72.3 | Tropical storm |
| Anderson County | SC | 72.6 | Category 1 |
| Randolph County | WV | 73.4 | Tropical storm |
| Indiana County | PA | 73.5 | Tropical storm |
| Abbeville County | SC | 73.7 | Category 1 |
| Preston County | WV | 74.9 | Tropical storm |
| McCormick County | SC | 76.3 | Category 1 |
| Hamblen County | TN | 76.3 | Tropical storm |
| Screven County | GA | 76.8 | Category 2 |
| Pocahontas County | WV | 77.3 | Tropical storm |
| Rowan County | KY | 77.3 | Tropical storm |
| Robeson County | NC | 77.8 | Category 1 |
| Leslie County | KY | 78.3 | Tropical storm |
| Burke County | GA | 78.3 | Category 2 |
| Adams County | OH | 79.7 | Tropical storm |
| Jackson County | NC | 80.4 | Tropical storm |
| Alleghany County | VA | 80.6 | Tropical storm |
| Wolfe County | KY | 80.9 | Tropical storm |
| Chatham County | GA | 81.1 | Category 4 |
| Effingham County | GA | 81.3 | Category 3 |
| Franklin County | OH | 81.7 | Tropical storm |
| Roanoke County | VA | 82.4 | Tropical storm |
| Moore County | NC | 83.0 | Category 1 |
| Franklin County | VA | 83.4 | Tropical storm |
| Delaware County | OH | 83.7 | Tropical storm |
| Huron County | OH | 83.9 | Tropical storm |
| Morrow County | OH | 84.3 | Tropical storm |
| Swain County | NC | 84.6 | Tropical storm |
| Guilford County | NC | 85.0 | Tropical storm |
| Tucker County | WV | 85.1 | Tropical storm |
| Richmond County | GA | 85.5 | Category 1 |
| Grainger County | TN | 85.7 | Tropical storm |
| Oconee County | SC | 86.3 | Tropical storm |
| Jefferson County | TN | 86.3 | Tropical storm |
| Erie County | OH | 86.6 | Tropical storm |
| Sevier County | TN | 87.6 | Tropical storm |
| Columbus County | NC | 88.1 | Category 1 |
| Hoke County | NC | 88.9 | Category 1 |
| Columbia County | GA | 89.2 | Category 1 |
| Menifee County | KY | 89.8 | Tropical storm |
| Fleming County | KY | 89.8 | Tropical storm |
| Somerset County | PA | 90.0 | Tropical storm |
| Salem city | VA | 90.0 | Tropical storm |
| Henry County | VA | 90.7 | Tropical storm |
| Bath County | KY | 91.4 | Tropical storm |
| Garrett County | MD | 91.6 | Tropical storm |
| Clearfield County | PA | 91.7 | Tropical storm |
| Claiborne County | TN | 92.3 | Tropical storm |
| Lincoln County | GA | 92.8 | Category 1 |
| Highland County | OH | 93.6 | Tropical storm |
| Botetourt County | VA | 93.6 | Tropical storm |
| Rockingham County | NC | 93.8 | Tropical storm |
| Crawford County | OH | 94.1 | Tropical storm |
| Jenkins County | GA | 94.1 | Category 2 |
| Roanoke city | VA | 94.3 | Tropical storm |
| Bath County | VA | 94.6 | Tropical storm |
| Bell County | KY | 95.7 | Tropical storm |
| Lee County | KY | 96.1 | Tropical storm |
| Covington city | VA | 96.5 | Tropical storm |
| Clay County | KY | 96.6 | Tropical storm |
| Fayette County | OH | 96.7 | Tropical storm |
| Macon County | NC | 97.1 | Tropical storm |
| Brunswick County | NC | 97.6 | Category 3 |
| Owsley County | KY | 97.6 | Tropical storm |
| Bulloch County | GA | 97.9 | Category 3 |
| Rabun County | GA | 98.6 | Tropical storm |
| Chatham County | NC | 98.8 | Category 1 |
| Mason County | KY | 98.9 | Tropical storm |
| Cambria County | PA | 99.7 | Tropical storm |
| Marion County | OH | 99.8 | Tropical storm |
Distances are measured from hourly positions interpolated between the National Hurricane Center’s six-hourly fixes to each county boundary. Strength is shown only where the storm was still tropical. Methodology.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2. Storm totals cover the Atlantic and Northeast and Central Pacific basins.