what is the highest category hurricane to hit north carolina
List of North Carolina hurricanes Tropical cyclones have affected North Carolina in every month between May and December; about 35 percent of the storms struck the state in September, and 80 percent affected the state between August and October, which coincides with the peak of the hurricane season. The earliest storm to affect the state was Subtropical Storm Andrea on May 7, 2007, and the latest was a tropical storm that moved across the Outer Banks on December 2, 1925. The strongest storm to strike the state was Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.[9]
Hurricane Maria The storm made landfall on Puerto Rico on Wednesday, September 20.[134] A sustained wind of 64 mph (103 km/h) with a gust to 113 mph (182 km/h) was reported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, immediately prior to the hurricane making landfall on the island. After landfall, wind gusts of 109 mph (175 km/h) were reported at Yabucoa Harbor and 118 mph (190 km/h) at Camp Santiago.[135] In addition, very heavy rainfall occurred throughout the territory, peaking at 37.9 in (962.7 mm) in Caguas.[136] Widespread flooding affected San Juan, waist-deep in some areas, and numerous structures lost their roof.[134] The coastal La Perla neighborhood of San Juan was largely destroyed.[137] Cataño saw extensive damage, with the Juana Matos neighborhood estimated to be 80 percent destroyed.[138] The primary airport in San Juan, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, was slated to reopen on September 22.[139]
Hurricane Sandy Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22, quickly strengthened, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later. Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually intensified. On October 24, Sandy became a hurricane, made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica, re-emerged a few hours later into the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. On October 25, Sandy hit Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, then weakened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 26, Sandy moved through the Bahamas.[9] On October 27, Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm and then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 29, Sandy curved west-northwest (the "left turn" or "left hook") and then[10] moved ashore near Brigantine, New Jersey, just to the northeast of Atlantic City, as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.[3][11]
Steve Irwin Irwin died at 44, after being pierced in the heart by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary film titled Ocean's Deadliest.