Unnamed hurricane of 1861 (AL081861)
Unnamed hurricane of 1861 (AL081861) was a Category 1 hurricane at its peak, with 81 mph winds and a lowest pressure of 999 mb, per NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Modeled winds reached tropical-storm force (39 mph) at 12 of the cities we track; the strongest was Providence, RI, with a modeled peak gust of 60 mph.
- Peak strength81 mph winds (1-minute)
- Category 1
- Cities with tropical-storm-force windsModeled, of the cities we track
- 12
- LandfallsFirst November 1, 1861
- 4
- Lowest pressure
- 999 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 Unnamed hurricane of 1861 (AL081861)’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
- November 1, 1861, tropical storm at 69 mph, about 10 miles from Naples, FL
- November 2, 1861, Category 1 at 81 mph, about 81 miles from Wilmington, NC
- November 3, 1861, tropical storm at 69 mph, about 39 miles from New Haven, CT
- November 3, 1861, tropical storm at 69 mph, about 24 miles from Norwich, CT
Modeled winds at cities (12)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI | 60 mph | 49 mph | 9 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 4:33 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 57 mph | 46 mph | 38 miles | Nov 1, 1861, 8:03 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Naples, FL | 57 mph | 46 mph | 5 miles | Nov 1, 1861, 2:03 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Norwich, CT | 53 mph | 43 mph | 14 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 3:03 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Boston, MA | 53 mph | 43 mph | 10 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 6:33 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Palm Bay, FL | 52 mph | 42 mph | 4 miles | Nov 1, 1861, 10:33 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 50 mph | 41 mph | 42 miles | Nov 2, 1861, 9:48 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Wilmington, NC | 50 mph | 41 mph | 57 miles | Nov 2, 1861, 5:03 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| New Haven, CT | 49 mph | 40 mph | 39 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 3:48 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Worcester, MA | 49 mph | 40 mph | 23 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 4:48 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 49 mph | 40 mph | 47 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 3:18 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
| Hartford, CT | 48 mph | 39 mph | 48 miles | Nov 3, 1861, 4:03 AM GMT-4:56:02 |
Best track (15 positions)
| Time | Status | Wind | Pressure | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 06:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 25.5°N, 82.1°W | |
| Nov 1, 08:00 UTC (landfall) | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 26.0°N, 81.8°W | |
| Nov 1, 12:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 58 mph | 27.2°N, 81.1°W | |
| Nov 1, 18:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 29.2°N, 80.1°W | |
| Nov 2, 00:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 81 mph | 31.2°N, 78.6°W | |
| Nov 2, 06:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 81 mph | 33.2°N, 77.3°W | |
| Nov 2, 10:00 UTC (landfall) | Category 1 hurricane | 81 mph | 34.7°N, 76.6°W | |
| Nov 2, 12:00 UTC | Category 1 hurricane | 81 mph | 35.2°N, 76.3°W | |
| Nov 2, 18:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 37.0°N, 75.0°W | |
| Nov 3, 00:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 38.7°N, 73.8°W | |
| Nov 3, 06:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 40.3°N, 72.8°W | |
| Nov 3, 08:00 UTC (landfall) | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 41.0°N, 72.3°W | |
| Nov 3, 09:00 UTC (landfall) | Tropical storm | 69 mph | 41.2°N, 72.0°W | |
| Nov 3, 12:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 58 mph | 1000 mb | 42.0°N, 71.5°W |
| Nov 3, 18:00 UTC | Tropical storm | 58 mph | 999 mb | 44.0°N, 70.0°W |