Major Category 4 & 5 hurricanes in the Beaufort and Hilton Head area are rare, but may occur. With each new season, the Beaufort area becomes a real target. Beaufort has been hit by some very strong Category 2 and 3 storms and suffered accordingly. The last major killer hurricane was August 27th, 1893... which caused 1,000 - 2,000 fatalities and much damage. Beaufort was the NWC predicted "landing spot" for Hurricane Hugo. The winds were just beginning to be felt here, but at the last minute... Hugo veered towards and hit north of Charleston. Many area people had evacuated to Charleston. Hurricane Hugo caused over 7 Billion dollars in damage and killed over 20 people in the US! Had it hit Savannah, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island, the damage would have been catastrophic and lives would have been lost. There are no safe category 4 and 5 hurricane shelters in the Beaufort and Hilton Head area.

With the increased population in the Beaufort and Hilton Head Island area, along with the increased number of homes in low lying waterfront and beach settings, the damage and loss of life could become catastrophic if a massive category 4 or 5 storm does ever hit us. Although there are evacuation routes, these will quickly become clogged with slow moving traffic, as many people leave too late. In other words, leave too late and you may be stuck in the storm!

These storms deserve your complete respect. Stay informed and leave early. The information on these pages may save your life... if you read them and apply it!