Most Intense Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Basin
	Compiled by Jonathan Vigh, Colorado State University, last updated 08/21/07
	This spreadsheet contains all recorded Cateogry 4 and 5 hurricanes for the Atlantic Basin, ranked by Minimum Sea Level Pressure (MSLP).
	Historic storm data comes from the HURDAT 'best track' database. Data from recent storms is taken from official NHC advisories, operational 'best track' files, aircraft recon and dropsondes, and other data as described in the NHC Preliminary Storm Reports, etc. Vortex messages have been obtained from the NHC recon archive, compiled and then sorted by Jonathan Vigh.																	Yellow indicates discrepency between HURDAT pressure and other information. See note for more information.
	RANK	STORM NAME	YEAR	DATE and TIME of PEAK	HIGHEST SAFFIR- SIMPSON CATEGORY	MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE	mb * 0.02961	MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS		MIN 700 mb HEIGHT	MAX 700 mb FLIGHT LEVEL WINDS	MAX 700 mb FLIGHT LEVEL 1-sec GUST	MAX 700 mb EYE TEMP	MAX 700 mb DEWPOINT DEPRESSION	MAX WIND MEASURED	MAX WIND MEASUREMENT TYPE, LOCATION	LINK to RECON DATA	LINK TO VORTEX MESSAGES	NHC PRELIMINARY REPORTS	OTHER LINKS	NOTES
						millibars	inches Hg (60°F)	knots (1-min avg)	mph	meters	knots	knots	degC	degC	knots			available?	format
1	1	Wilma	2005		5	882	26.12	160	184									yes	PDF
2	2	Gilbert	1988		5	888	26.29	160	184										16 image files	NHC Gilbert Page (radar images, satellite)
3	3	Not Named	1935		5	892	26.41	140	161									before recon era
4	4	Rita	2005		5	895	26.50	155	178				31	34				yes	PDF		HURDAT puts Rita's minimum pressure at 897 mb, but the NHC preliminary report infers 895 mb on the basis of a 897 mb drop which wasn't quite in the center of the eye, as well as the fact that the storm was likely not measured right at the peak.
5	5	Allen	1980		5	899	26.62	165	190										10 image files
6	6	Katrina	2005		5	902	26.71	150	173		166	179	29					yes	PDF
7	7	Camille	1969		5	905	26.80	165	190										PDF
8	7	Mitch	1998		5	905	26.80	155	178		168							yes	HTML		From the Mitch preliminary report: Most of the aerial reconnaissance flights into Mitch were by the USAFR "Hurricane Hunters". The Hurricane Hunters flew 19 missions, and made 41 center fixes while NOAA aircraft performed 2 missions contributing 9 center fixes. The highest 700-mb flight-level wind report was 168 knots at 1900 UTC 26 October by the USAFR. This wind speed was observed 14 n mi northeast of the center near the time of a 905 mb GPS dropsonde-measured pressure. A dropsonde in the northeast eyewall showed winds to near 160 knots at 900 mb, but lower speeds below that altitude. The highest satellite-based intensity estimate, obtained by both objective and subjective methods, was 155 knots on the 26th and the 27th.
9	9	Dean	2007		5	906	26.83	145	167	2279	165							yes	not available yet
10	10	Ivan	2004		5	910	26.95	145	167									yes	PDF
11	11	Janet	1955		5	914	27.06	150	173
12	12	Isabel	2003		5	915	27.09	145	167									yes	HTML		The minimum central pressure of 915 mb was estimated before the storm was within range of recon aircraft, 920 mb was the lowest pressure actually measured.
13	13	Hugo	1989		5	918	27.18	140	161									yes	16 image files	NHC Hugo Page (satellite, radar, wind swath)
14	14	Opal	1995		4	916	27.12	130	150									yes	HTML		HURDAT gives a MSLP of 919 mb, while vortex messages have values as low as 916 mb.
15	15	Hattie	1961		5	920	27.24	140	161										11 image files
16	15	Gloria	1985		4	920	27.24	125	144										11 image files
17	17	Floyd	1999		4	921	27.27	135	155									yes	HTML
18	18	Andrew	1992		5	922	27.30	150	173									yes	HTML
19	19	Beulah	1967		5	923	27.33	140	161										7 image files
20	20	Not Named	1910		4	924	27.36	130	150									before recon era
21	20	David	1979		5	924	27.36	150	173										10 images
22	22	Not Named	1886		4	925	27.39	135	155									before recon era
23	23	Anita	1977		5	926	27.42	150	173
24	24	Esther	1961		4	927	27.45	125	144										45 image files
25	24	Gabrielle	1989		4	927	27.45	125	144									yes	11 images
26	26	Not Named	1880		4	928	27.48	120	138									before recon era
27	26	Carmen	1974		4	928	27.48	130	150
28	28	Felix	2007		5	929	27.51	145	167									yes	not available yet
29	28	Emily	2005		5	929	27.51	140	161									yes	PDF
30	28	Not Named	1928		5	929	27.51	140	161									before recon era
31	28	Carol	1953		4	929	27.51	130	150
32	28	Inez	1966		4	929	27.51	130	150										36 images
33	28	Felix	1995		4	929	27.51	120	138									yes	HTML
34	34	Dennis	2005		4	930	27.54	130	150									yes	PDF
35	34	Not Named	1899		4	930	27.54	130	150									before recon era
36	34	Gert	1999		4	930	27.54	130	150									yes	HTML
37	37	Not Named	1880		4	931	27.57	130	150									before recon era
38	37	Not Named	1894		4	931	27.57	115	132									before recon era
39	37	Carla	1961		5	931	27.57	150	173
40	40	Donna	1960		5	932	27.60	140	161										73 images
41	40	Joan	1988		4	932	27.60	125	144										14 images
42	42	Not Named	1930		4	933	27.63	130	150									before recon era
43	42	Edouard	1996		4	933	27.63	125	144									yes	HTML
44	42	Lenny	1999		4	933	27.63	135	155									yes	HTML
45	45	Michelle	2001		4	934	27.66	120	138									yes	HTML
46	45	Not Named	1856		4	934	27.66	130	150									before recon era
47	45	Fox	1952		4	934	27.66	130	150
48	45	Helene	1958		4	934	27.66	115	132										33 images
49	49	Not Named	1915		4	935	27.69	115	132									before recon era
50	49	Not Named	1926		4	935	27.69	130	150									before recon era
51	48	Luis	1995		4	935	27.69	120	138									yes	HTML
52	49	Hortense	1996		4	935	27.69	120	138									yes	HTML
53	53	Not Named	1900		4	936	27.71	125	144									before recon era
54	53	Not Named	1929		4	936	27.71	120	138									before recon era
55	53	Connie	1955		4	936	27.71	125	144
56	56	Frances	2004		4	937	27.74	125	144									yes	PDF
57	56	Hazel	1954		4	937	27.74	120	138
58	56	Georges	1998		4	937	27.74	135	155									yes	HTML
59	59	Karl	2004		4	938	27.77	125	144									no flights	PDF
60	59	Not Named	1866		4	938	27.77	120	138									before recon era
61	59	Not Named	1878		4	938	27.77	120	138									before recon era
62	59	Not Named	1898		4	938	27.77	115	132									before recon era
63	59	Not Named	1938		5	938	27.77	140	161									before recon era
64	59	Helene	1988		4	938	27.77	125	144										7 images
65	65	Fabian	2003		4	939	27.80	125	144									yes	HTML
66	65	Gladys	1975		4	939	27.80	120	138
67	67	Lili	2002		4	940	27.83	125	144									yes	HTML
68	67	Flora	1963		4	940	27.83	125	144										37 images
69	69	Keith	2000		4	941	27.86	120	138									yes	HTML
70	69	Hilda	1964		4	941	27.86	130	150										11 images
71	69	Betsy	1965		4	941	27.86	135	155										8 images
72	72	Not Named	1932		4	942	27.89	125	144									before recon era
73	72	Dora	1964		4	942	27.89	115	132										16 images
74	72	Cindy	1999		4	942	27.89	120	138									no flights	HTML
75	75	Isaac	2000		4	943	27.92	120	138									no flights	HTML
76	75	Not Named	1944		4	943	27.92	120	138
77	75	Edith	1971		5	943	27.92	140	161										14 images
78	75	Frederic	1979		4	943	27.92	115	132										8 images
79	79	Bret	1999		4	944	27.95	125	144									yes	HTML
80	80	Carrie	1957		4	945	27.98	135	155
81	80	Betsy	1961		4	945	27.98	120	138										11 images
82	80	Gladys	1964		4	945	27.98	125	144										4 images
83	83	Audrey	1957		4	946	28.01	125	144
84	83	Harvey	1981		4	946	28.01	115	132										4 images
85	83	Claudette	1991		4	946	28.01	115	132									yes	7 images
86	86	Charley	2004		4	947	28.04	125	144									yes	PDF
87	86	Not Named	1947		5	947	28.04	140	161
88	86	Greta	1978		4	947	28.04	115	132										7 images
89	89	Iris	2001		4	948	28.07	125	144									yes	HTML
90	89	Not Named	1893		4	948	28.07	115	132									before recon era
91	89	Not Named	1933		4	948	28.07	120	138									before recon era
92	89	Cleo	1958		5	948	28.07	140	161										11 images
93	93	Diana	1984		4	949	28.10	115	132										11 images
94	94	Not Named	1906		4	950	28.13	115	132									before recon era
95	94	Gracie	1959		4	950	28.13	120	138										41 images
96	94	Cleo	1964		4	950	28.13	135	155										7 images
97	94	Debby	1982		4	950	28.13	115	132										5 images
98	98	Not Named	1945		4	951	28.16	120	138
99	99	Not Named	1921		4	952	28.19	120	138									before recon era
100	100	Not Named	1915		4	953	28.22	120	138									before recon era
101	101	Not Named	1949		4	954	28.25	130	150
102	102	Ella	1978		4	956	28.31	120	138										6 images
103	103	Not Named	1945		4	963	28.51	120	138
104	104	Charlie	1951		4	964	28.54	115	132
105	105	Greta	1956		4	970	28.72	120	138
106	106	Not Named	1933		4	971	28.75	130	150									before recon era
107	107	Not Named	1926		4	975	28.87	120	138									before recon era
108	107	Not Named	1948		4	975	28.87	115	132
109	109	Not Named	1946		4	979	28.99	115	132
110	110	Ethel	1960		5	972	28.78	140	161										17 images		The NHC preliminary report contains a reference to a 972 mb central pressure, while HURDAT has 981 mb.
111	111	Ilsa	1958		4	998	29.55	115	132
		Storms with no reported MSLP:
		Not Named	1882		4	n/a		120	138									before recon era
		Not Named	1919		4	n/a		120	138									before recon era
		Not Named	1922		4	n/a		130	150									before recon era
		Not Named	1924		4	n/a		115	132									before recon era
		Not Named	1926		4	n/a		115	132									before recon era
		Not Named	1926		4	n/a		120	138									before recon era
		Not Named	1932		4	n/a		115	132									before recon era
		Not Named	1932		5	n/a		140	161									before recon era
		Not Named	1939		4	n/a		115	132									before recon era
		Not Named	1943		4	n/a		120	138
		Not Named	1948		4	n/a		115	132
		Not Named	1949		4	n/a		115	132
		Able	1950		4	n/a		120	138
		Dog	1950		5	n/a		160	184
		Fox	1950		4	n/a		120	138
		Easy	1951		5	n/a		140	161