The 1985 "Storm of the Century" that redefined hurricane evacuations

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In September 1985, Hurricane Gloria surged toward the US East Coast with Category 4 intensity. As the most significant storm to hit New York City and Long Island since 1960, it triggered massive evacuations and left millions in the dark, fundamentally changing how officials manage coastal emergencies.

Originating as a tropical wave off the coast of Africa on September 15, Gloria underwent a complex lifecycle. After initially struggling to intensify, it reached peak intensity on September 25, 1985, as a Category 4 hurricane. At this stage, reconnaissance aircraft measured a barometric pressure of 919 mbar—the lowest recorded over the North Atlantic at that time—and flight-level winds of 145 mph (233 km/h). While a 2008 reanalysis suggested peak winds might have reached 155 mph (249 km/h), the storm's asymmetrical structure meant its most destructive winds remained on its eastern periphery.

The storm's impact was felt most acutely during its multiple landfalls on September 27. After striking the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it made landfall on western Long Island with sustained winds of 85 mph (137 km/h). This caused the worst power outage in Connecticut's history, leaving over 4 million people without electricity. The storm's intensity was such that Harvard University was forced to close for only the third time in the 20th century, a rare occurrence matched only by the 1938 New England Hurricane and the 1978 Blizzard.

Beyond the immediate physical destruction, Gloria left a lasting administrative legacy. Approximately 380,000 residents were moved from coastal areas stretching from North Carolina to Connecticut because of the danger. Maryland authorities employed lane reversing to speed up the exodus, a tactic that many coastal states now adopt as standard policy. Even in Canada, the confusion surrounding the storm's arrival contributed to the eventual creation of the Canadian Hurricane Centre.

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