The Deadliest Hurricanes in U.S. History

The Great Labor Day Storm, Florida, 1935
400 to 600 dead
One of only three Category 5 hurricanes ever to hit the U.S., the 1935 Labor Day hurricane caused extreme damage as it delivered swells of 18 to 20 ft. (5.5 to 6 m) throughout the Florida Keys. Most of the deaths from the storm can be attributed to one location: the Florida Overseas Railroad, an evacuation train that was sent down from the mainland to rescue stranded residents and workers. It was washed right off the tracks and swept out to sea. The National Weather Service estimated that 408 people died in that single incident, accounting for the vast majority of the victims.

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