1856 Last Island hurricane
1856 Last Island hurricane was a Category 4 hurricane at its peak, with 150 mph winds and a lowest pressure of 934 mb, per NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Modeled winds reached tropical-storm force (39 mph) at 5 of the cities we track; the strongest was Lafayette, LA, with a modeled peak gust of 119 mph.
- Peak strength150 mph winds (1-minute)
- Category 4
- Cities with tropical-storm-force windsModeled, of the cities we track
- 5
- LandfallsFirst August 10, 1856
- 1
- Lowest pressure
- 934 mb
Track, wind field and cities
Select a piece of the track or a city for details.
- Depression or weaker
- Tropical storm
- Hurricane, Category 1 or 2
- Major hurricane, Category 3 to 5
- Landfall
- City (larger ring, stronger modeled gust)
- Modeled wind field, 39 to 111 mph sustained (darker, stronger; orange 111 mph+)
The shaded areas are where our model puts 1856 Last Island hurricane’s sustained winds over open land at 39 mph or more (tropical-storm force), 58, 74 (hurricane force) and 111 mph (major hurricane force) at some point along its track. Modeled, not measured. How we model hurricane winds
Landfalls
- August 10, 1856, Category 4 at 150 mph, about 86 miles from Baton Rouge, LA
Modeled winds at cities (5)
Estimated peak winds for open, flat ground at each city’s center. Not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
| City | Peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | 119 mph | 97 mph | 9 miles | Aug 10, 1856, 7:09 PM GMT-5:50:36 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 101 mph | 82 mph | 40 miles | Aug 10, 1856, 6:39 PM GMT-5:50:36 |
| New Orleans, LA | 65 mph | 53 mph | 91 miles | Aug 10, 1856, 6:09 PM GMT-5:50:36 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 64 mph | 52 mph | 79 miles | Aug 10, 1856, 8:09 PM GMT-5:50:36 |
| Slidell, LA | 58 mph | 47 mph | 101 miles | Aug 10, 1856, 6:09 PM GMT-5:50:36 |
What happened
The 1856 Last Island hurricane struck the Louisiana coast on August 10, 1856, and its eye passed over Last Island (Isle Derniere), a resort island south-southwest of New Orleans.1,2 NHC's best track puts landfall at 1800 UTC on August 10 as a Category 4 hurricane with 130-knot (150 mph) winds and a central pressure of 934 mb.3
The storm surge covered the resort, leaving even the island's highest points under 5 feet of water, and destroyed the hotel, the gambling houses and the vacation cottages.1,2 Of the 401 people at the resort, 198 died, and the surge cut a channel that split the island in two.1 Inland, every house in Abbeville was leveled, and New Orleans got 13.14 inches of rain.2 The NWS Louisiana hurricane history lists at least 218 deaths.2
Sources
- 1. NOAA AOML: 160th Anniversary of the Last Island hurricane
- 2. National Weather Service (David Roth): Louisiana Hurricane History
- 3. NOAA National Hurricane Center: Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT2), 1851-2025
Best track (14 positions)
| Time | Status | Wind | Pressure | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 00:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 81 mph | 25.0°N, 83.9°W | |
| Aug 9, 06:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 92 mph | 25.7°N, 85.1°W | |
| Aug 9, 12:00 UTC | Category 2 hurricane | 104 mph | 26.3°N, 86.5°W | |
| Aug 9, 18:00 UTC | Category 3 hurricane | 115 mph | 27.0°N, 87.8°W | |
| Aug 10, 00:00 UTC | Category 3 hurricane | 127 mph | 27.7°N, 89.1°W | |
| Aug 10, 06:00 UTC | Category 4 hurricane | 138 mph | 28.2°N, 89.8°W | |
| Aug 10, 12:00 UTC | Category 4 hurricane | 150 mph | 28.7°N, 90.5°W | |
| Aug 10, 18:00 UTC (landfall) | Category 4 hurricane | 150 mph | 934 mb | 29.2°N, 91.1°W |
| Aug 11, 00:00 UTC | Category 3 hurricane | 127 mph | 29.7°N, 91.6°W | |
| Aug 11, 06:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 92 mph | 30.0°N, 91.8°W | |
| Aug 11, 12:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 30.3°N, 91.9°W | |
| Aug 11, 18:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 58 mph | 30.6°N, 91.8°W | |
| Aug 12, 00:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 46 mph | 30.9°N, 91.6°W | |
| Aug 12, 06:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 46 mph | 31.3°N, 91.0°W |