Storm history › Atlantic › 1965 season
Hurricane Betsy (1965)
Betsy was a Category 4 hurricane of the 1965 Atlantic season. It was tracked from August 27, 1965 to September 13, 1965, about 17 days, and covered 4,426 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 942 mb.
It made 5 landfalls, the first near Cul de Sac, Sint Maarten.
Its closest pass to a major city was 4 miles from Louisville, United States.
- Peak wind
- 140 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 942 mb
- Strongest
- Category 4 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 5
- Duration
- 17 days
- Track length
- 4,426 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 40.5
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 29, 1965 | Cul de Sac, Sint Maarten | 40 mph (65 km/h) |
| 2 | August 29, 1965 | Cul de Sac, Sint Maarten | 40 mph (65 km/h) |
| 3 | September 7, 1965 | San Andros, Bahamas | 120 mph (195 km/h) |
| 4 | September 8, 1965 | Key Largo, United States | 115 mph (185 km/h) |
| 5 | September 10, 1965 | Galliano, United States | 130 mph (215 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Louisville, United States | 4 mi (6 km) |
| Memphis, United States | 14 mi (23 km) |
| New South Memphis, United States | 17 mi (27 km) |
| Miami, United States | 51 mi (82 km) |
| Columbus, United States | 66 mi (107 km) |
| Nashville, United States | 91 mi (146 km) |
| Indianapolis, United States | 99 mi (160 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 110th highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Gabrielle (2025), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Fiona (2022) and 20 more.
- Lowest pressure: 129th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Idalia (2023), Hurricane Irene (2011), Hurricane Katia (2011) and 3 more.
- Energy: 47% of the 1965 Atlantic season's ACE.