HURRICANE HUGO
Hurricane Hugo is the most intense hurricane to strike Georgia and the Carolinas in the last 100 years. In the 20th century, along the United States east coast (north of Florida) - no tropical cyclone has ever recorded a lower pressure, stronger winds, or higher tidal surges at landfall. The only hurricane that approaches Hugo's stature in the 20th century is Hurricane Hazel of 1954. It is likely that Hugo is the most intense tropical cyclone to strike South Carolina since the Great Sea Islands Hurricane of 1893.Hugo's track.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1989
SEPTEMBER 20, 1989
SEPTEMBER 23,1989
ARTICLES
FORECAST IS A WAITING GAME(PART 1)
FORECAST IS A WAITING GAME(PART 2)
ST. CROIX , BATTERED ISLAND WELCOMES TROOPS AID(PART 1)
ST. CROIX , BATTERED ISLAND WELCOMES TROOPS AID(PART 2)
MYRTLE BEACH , THIS ONE WAS NO SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN(PART 1)
MYRTLE BEACH , THIS ONE WAS NO SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN(PART 2)
STORM FLAILS CAROLINAS BEFORE LOSING STEAM(PART 1)
STORM FLAILS CAROLINAS BEFORE LOSING STEAM(PART 2)
STORM FLAILS CAROLINAS BEFORE LOSING STEAM(PART 3)
CHARLESTON , ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS(PART 1)
CHARLESTON , ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS(PART 2)
PHOTOS
STORM DAMAGED HOMES NEAR ROOSEVELTS ROAD NAVAL BASE IN  PUERTO RICO
DC-3 TOSSED BY HURRICANE,REST ATOP A HANGER
HUGO PATH OF DESTRUCTION
AN AIRPLANE DESTROYED WHEN IT CAME DOWN ATOP A PASSANGER  JETWAY AT THE SAN JUAN AIRPORT
POLICEMAN PATROLS CHARLESTON'S HEAVILY DAMAGED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
HUGH COX LOOK THROUGH WHAT IS LEFT OF HIS KITCHEN IN ST. CROIX
CHARLESTON RESIDENTS PADDLE THROUGHT A STREET TURNED INTO A STREAM
BOATS TOSSED OUT OF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY NEAR  ISLES OF PALMS,SC
HUGO MAP SEPT 21 1989
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Formed September 9, 1989
Dissipated September 25, 1989
Highest winds 160 mph (260 km/h) sustained
Lowest pressure 918 mbar (hPa)
Damages $10 billion (1989 USD) $15.6 billion (2005 USD)
Fatalities 70 - 100 direct
Areas affected Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Dominica, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, North Carolina, most of eastern North America

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  Hurricane Hugo churned through the same section of the Caribbean as Donna, but had weakened from its peak intensity by the time it smashed the U.S. Virgin Islands on Sept. 17, and then struck a glancing blow to Puerto Rico with winds gusting to 160 mph the next day. Weakened temporarily by its Caribbean island assault, Hugo intensified significantly prior to landfall as it crossed the Gulf Stream off the Southeast U.S. coast. Hugo blew into Charleston, S.C., on the evening of Sept. 21, the autumnal equinox, with winds of 138 mph and a 20 foot storm surge on top of astronomically high tides. Hurricane Hugo's impressive intensity made it the strongest storm to strike the East Coast north of Florida since Hazel in Oct. 1954. Hugo devastated South Carolina's barrier islands and flattened the Francis Marion National Forest, to the north of Charleston. Its price tag hit $7 billion,
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VIDEOS
HUGO MAP SEPT 22, 1989
HUGO DAY BY DAY
PART ONE
PART TWO
DAY 1   9/22
DAY 2   9/23
PART ONE
PART TWO
DAY 3   9/24
DAY 4   9/25
DAY 5   9/26
DAY 6   9/27
DAY 7   9/28
DAY 8   9/29
DAY 9   9/30
DAY 10   10/1
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART ONE
PART TWO
  Although the worst of Hugo affected one of the more sparsely populated reaches of the South Carolina coast, it was necessary for residents in a much larger area to assess and respond to the threat. Forecast information provided by the NHC was good during most of the crucial response period, making decision making much easier than might otherwise have been possible. Inundation maps and evacuation clearance-time calculations produced in pre-storm studies proved useful and generally accurate. Computerized and graphical decision aids were utilized extensively and contributed an impression of high-tech performance and credibility to elected officials, but some users had dangerous misconceptions about the functions and capabilities of these forecast tools. There was very little use of forecast uncertainties in the decision process. Evacuations went well, evidenced in part by the low loss of life from flooding. However, in many areas prone to surges, evacuation was not as complete as is widely believed. Had Hugo's eyewall strayed and struck any of the major population centers within the predicted range, many homes would have been flooded with occupants still in them....Earl J. Baker, Florida State University, Tallahassee
  Hurricane Hugo hit Guadeloupe in the Caribbean Sea with 150-mile-an-hour winds, destroying the resort town of St. François and taking 11 lives. The next day on Montserrat, the storm snapped the tops off all the trees and tore roofs off the houses. Here, it killed 10 more people and did $100 million worth of damage. It blew 90% of the houses in St. Kits, Nevis, and St. Croix to smithereens, and went on to leave the north coast of Puerto Rico a mix of smashed towns, fallen trees, and twisted power lines. Seven people died and 90,000 lost their homes as the hurricane did $300 million in damage. Hugo went on in a 2,300-mile swath, hitting Charleston, North Carolina (USA). Over half a million people fled their homes before the storm struck. 20-foot waves swept away boats, poured into the city’s streets, flooded the city hall, destroyed 30 major office buildings, and left 21 people dead. South Carolina alone estimated $5 billion in damage
HURRICANE HUGO CLOBBERED HISTORIC CHARELSTON AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS(PART 1)
HURRICANE HUGO CLOBBERED HISTORIC CHARELSTON AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS(PART 2)
HURRICANE HUGO CLOBBERED HISTORIC CHARELSTON AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS(PART 3)
CHARLOTTE BRACES IN STORM'S PATH PART 1
CHARLOTTE BRACES IN STORM'S PATH PART 2
CHARLOTTE BRACES IN STORM'S PATH PART 3
IN HARM'S WAY,HOTELS FILLED FROM SC TO CHARLOTTE PART 1
IN HARM'S WAY,HOTELS FILLED FROM SC TO CHARLOTTE PART 2
TIME TO COPE,NOT MOPE
TODAY,CHARLOTTE'S RECOVER BEGINS
BEAUTY BEHEADED AT A STROKE
CAROLINAS FACE HUGO'S AFTERMATH PART 1
CAROLINAS FACE HUGO'S AFTERMATH PART 2
THE PEOPLE OF CHARLESTON EMERGE FROM THIER DIM HIDEOUTS
SOME WEREN''T AS LUCKY AS OTHER IN CHARLESTON
AT STORM'S WORST,RESCUERS DODGED TREES,KEPT GOING
TREES TWISTED,POWER POLES SNAPPED PART 1
TREES TWISTED,POWER POLES SNAPPED PART 2
THE COAST,NAKED AND EXPOSED PART 1
THE COAST,NAKED AND EXPOSED PART 2
HURRICANE HUGO CUT A TERRIBLE SWATH INLAND PART 1
HURRICANE HUGO CUT A TERRIBLE SWATH INLAND PART 2
HURRICANE HUGO CUT A TERRIBLE SWATH INLAND PART 3
HUGO WAS REALLY STORM OF 2 CENTURIES PART 1
HUGO WAS REALLY STORM OF 2 CENTURIES PART 2
NEXT TIME,WE'LL SURELY KNOW BETTER PART 1
NEXT TIME,WE'LL SURELY KNOW BETTER PART 2
IT'S NOT A WAR ZONE,BUT IT SURE LOOKS LIKE ONE PART 1
IT'S NOT A WAR ZONE,BUT IT SURE LOOKS LIKE ONE PART 2
CONFUSION ERUPTS AS STATES BEGIN FIGHT TO RECOVER PART 1
CONFUSION ERUPTS AS STATES BEGIN FIGHT TO RECOVER PART 2
NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP POLICE CONTROL LOOTING PART 1
NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP POLICE CONTROL LOOTING PART 2
EMERGENCY MEDICAL WORKERS
SOME FACE A SOLID WEEK OF LIGHTS OUT PART 1
SOME FACE A SOLID WEEK OF LIGHTS OUT PART 2
DEVISTATION CONFRONTS GARDEN CITY HOMEOWNERS
PIEDMONT HOPES FOR HELP WITH DAMAGE
GRIM CRUISE SHOWS GROUP WHAT'S LEFT
S.C. BEACH DWELLERS MAY FACE A SET BACK IN STRUGGLE TO REBUILD
BERKELEY COUNTY,INLAND COUNTIES ARE REELING FROM HUGOS BLOW
WAVES CRASH AGAINST FISHING PIER
POLICE CONCERNED ABOUT FALLING GLASS
TREES FALL ON CARS,2128 MALVERN AVE.
HURRICANE HUGOS HIGH WATERS REACH BOARDWALK
MOTORIST STREAM FROM THE COAST ON I-26
FIGHTING THE WINDS IN CHARLOTTE
THE GRAFITI TELLS THE STORY
FALLING TREE COLLAPSES GARAGE
REMOVING A TREE BLOCKING MONROE ROAD
CLEANING UP ON CHIPLEY AVE.
HOUSE TOTALLY DESTROYED
SURVEYING DAMAGE ON NORTON ROAD
BEGINING THE CLEAN UP ON BELMONT AVE.
BOATS TOSSED AROUND..
DOWNED UTILITY POLES
WALKING THROUGH FLOODED PARKING LOT
HUGOS WINDS TURNED OVER SEVERAL PLANES
MIDDLE SECTION OF THE  CAROLINA BEACH FISHING PIER IS DESROYED
A 43 FOOT WOODEN KETCH IS GROUNDED BY HIGH WINDS AND WAVES
FIREFIGHTERS CLEAR BRUSH
BAROGRAPH
HUGOS SURFACE WINDS
HUGO DAMAGE REPORTS
KIAWAH ISLAND
GARDEN CITY
SURFSIDE BEACH
MYRTLE BEACH STATE PARK
CHERRY GROVE BEACH,CALABASH,AND SUNSET BEACH
FOLLY BEACH
OCEAN ISLE BEACH,AND HOLDE BEACH.
YAUPON BEACH
CASWELL BEACH
BALD HEAD ISLAND
ISLE OF PALMS
DEBIDUE BEACH
GEORGETOWN
FRANCIS MORION NAT'L FOREST
PAWLEYS ISLAND
LITCHFIELD BEACH
HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK
MURRELLS INLET
DAMAGED VEHICLE AND OTHER DEBRIS
HUGO DAMAGE AND SURGE
WALKING THROUGH THE FLOOD
ROOFLESS HOMES
FOLLY BEACH HOME MOVED 100 FEET
GEORGETOWN,SC. BUSINESS DESROYED
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS LOOK AT DAMAGED ROAD
Click on picture to open video in new page
Hugo scrapbook part 1 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 2 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 3 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 4 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 5 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 6 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 7 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 8 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 9 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 10 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 11 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 12 of 13
Hugo scrapbook part 13 of 13
Luquillo, Puerto Rico - September 18, 1989
Hurricane Hugo Chase
Hugo Remembered
Hurricane Hugo and Carroll Campbell
Tracking Hurricane Hugo part 1
Tracking Hurricane Hugo part 2
Pawley's Island, SC Aftermath
Rescue 911 Hugo Part 1 of 2
Rescue 911 Hugo Part 2 of 2
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Sounds Of Hugo 1/4
Sounds Of Hugo 2/4
Sounds Of Hugo 3/4
Sounds Of Hugo 4/4
Huracán Hugo 18 sep. 1989 pte.1
Huracán Hugo 18 sep. 1989 pte.2
KNBC Los Angeles News Sept 1989 pt 1 of 2
KNBC Los Angeles News Sept 1989 pt 2 of 2
Hugo Damage in Faith, NC 1989
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