Storm history › Atlantic › 1989 season
Hurricane Hugo (1989)
Hugo was a Category 5 hurricane of the 1989 Atlantic season. It was tracked from September 10, 1989 to September 25, 1989, about 15 days, and covered 7,010 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 918 mb.
It made 5 landfalls, the first near Les Abymes, Guadeloupe.
Its closest pass to a major city was 8 miles from Ottawa, Canada.
- Peak wind
- 160 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 918 mb
- Strongest
- Category 5 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 5
- Duration
- 15 days
- Track length
- 7,010 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 42.7
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17, 1989 | Les Abymes, Guadeloupe | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| 2 | September 18, 1989 | Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| 3 | September 18, 1989 | Fajardo, Puerto Rico | 125 mph (205 km/h) |
| 4 | September 18, 1989 | Carolina, Puerto Rico | 125 mph (205 km/h) |
| 5 | September 22, 1989 | Charleston, United States | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Ottawa, Canada | 8 mi (12 km) |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 16 mi (26 km) |
| Charlotte, United States | 23 mi (38 km) |
| Hamilton, Canada | 39 mi (63 km) |
| Toronto, Canada | 46 mi (74 km) |
| Laval, Canada | 48 mi (77 km) |
| Mississauga, Canada | 49 mi (78 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 28th highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Erin (2025), Hurricane Humberto (2025), Hurricane Ian (2022) and 7 more.
- Lowest pressure: 23rd lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Humberto (2025).
- Energy: 32% of the 1989 Atlantic season's ACE.