Hurricane Donna (1960)

Donna crossed the middle Florida Keys between 2 and 3 a.m. on September 10, 1960, and reached the mainland again south of Naples.¹ NHC's best track gives those landfalls sustained winds of 125 knots (144 mph), Category 4, and 105 knots (121 mph).^2,3 Donna came ashore again between Wilmington and Morehead City, North Carolina, at 0400 UTC on September 12 at 90 knots (104 mph).^4,2 On September 12 its center crossed Long Island and moved inland over Connecticut at 85 and 80 knots (98 and 92 mph).^4,2

Keys storm tides probably reached at least 12 feet above mean low water in places, and wind and tide destroyed nearly all but the sturdiest buildings from Marathon to Tavernier.¹ Sombrero Light measured a 150 mph gust.¹ Tides from Everglades City to Fort Myers Beach were estimated at 4 to 7 feet above normal and reached the center of Naples, and about half the buildings in Everglades City were destroyed by tide and wind.¹ Fort Myers measured sustained winds of 92 mph with a 121 mph gust, and even outside the hardest-hit areas the wind wrecked many weaker buildings, blew off or damaged roofs and broke many windows.¹ Estimates of Florida damage made in 1960 ranged from about $36 million to $350 million.¹

Along the North Carolina and Virginia coasts, tides 6 to 8 feet above normal and high winds did severe damage in many places.⁴ Wilmington measured a 97 mph gust, and tides 7 feet above normal caused serious flooding in Norfolk.⁴ Heavy seas and a surge of about 4 to 6 feet battered docks and beachfront buildings on the Maryland and Delaware coast.⁴ Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts, recorded a 140 mph gust and Block Island, Rhode Island, a 130 mph gust.⁴ NHC counts at least 50 US deaths.³