Weather
Myrtle Beach, SC Hurricane: Halloween Storm Made Landfall in 1899
Myrtle Beach, SC – A powerful Category 2 hurricane struck the South Carolina coast near Myrtle Beach on Halloween 127 years ago, bringing destructive coastal flooding and leaving a lasting mark on hur
By Wesley Grant · 2026-10-31T20:11:44.572Z
Myrtle Beach, SC – A powerful Category 2 hurricane struck the South Carolina coast near Myrtle Beach on Halloween 127 years ago, bringing destructive coastal flooding and leaving a lasting mark on hurricane history across southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina.
According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, the historic “Halloween Hurricane” made landfall early October 31, 1899, just south of Myrtle Beach before moving northward into North Carolina.
The storm came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening to Category 1 strength as it tracked toward Lumberton, North Carolina.
The hurricane remains significant because it represents the latest calendar date on record that a hurricane has made landfall within the National Weather Service Wilmington office's county warning area.
Historical accounts cited by the National Weather Service describe substantial coastal impacts, including water reaching approximately 8 feet above normal high tide at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
The storm reportedly caused “great destruction and damage,” demonstrating the destructive potential of late season tropical systems along the Carolinas coastline.
The hurricane's path carried it northward from the South Carolina coast into southeastern North Carolina, affecting an area that includes communities near Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Lumberton.
Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, hurricanes making landfall along the Carolinas coastline this late in October are relatively uncommon.
The 1899 storm serves as a historical reminder that damaging tropical systems can still affect coastal communities well into autumn.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, marks the 127th anniversary of the hurricane's landfall.
The National Weather Service highlighted the event as part of its historical tropical weather coverage for southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina.
The anniversary is a look back at a documented historical disaster, not a warning of an approaching hurricane.