Hurricane Wendy was a weak Category 2 hurricane that made landfall on North Carolina, causing major flooding and damage. Wendy was the 21st named storm and the record breaking 16th hurricane.
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Wendy making landfall |
||
| Formed | October 24 | |
| Dissipated | October 31 | |
| Accumulated Cyclone Energy | 4.228 | |
| Highest winds | 100 (mph) | |
| Lowest pressure | 973 | |
| Damages | $1.8 billion | |
| Direct Fatalities | 16 | |
| Indirect Fatalities | 4 | |
| Missing | 10 | |
| Areas affected | United States East Coast | |
| Part of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season | ||
Hurricane Wendy killed 20 people and caused $1.8 billion in damages. Wendy also caused evacuations in North Carolina. Wendy made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on the East Coast on October 30. Wendy weakened over New Jersey on Halloween and dissipated that night.
Meteorological History[]
On October 21, the National Hurricane Center noted a low pressure area was forming near the Bahamas. The area made landfall on Florida and moved along the United States Coast. The area strengthened into Tropical Depression 21. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Wendy on October 25. Wendy rapidly strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with winds peaking at 100 mph.
Wendy weakened a bit on October 27, but maintained peak intensity 24 hours later. Wendy made landfall on North Carolina. The flood stage in Wilmington, North Carolina was at 36.0 ft. 12 people alone were killed in Wilmington. The storm moved off the coast and made landfall on Norfolk, Virginia. Nearby city Virginia Beach was flooded. Cars were being carried by the water. On October 30, Wendy made landfall on New Jersey killing 4 people in Ocean City. Wendy triggered a car accident that killed 4 people in Newark. Wendy caused major flooding in Manhattan, causing 10 people to go missing. Wendy dissipated over Manhattan on Halloween.
The remnants of Wendy caused minor damage throughout New England. 4" of rain were recorded near Bangor, Maine. Wendy damaged 35 homes in Massachusetts. Wendy was very strong and impacted many states.
Aftermath[]
Florida[]
In the morning hours of October 25, Miami residents woke up to about 2 ft of water in their homes. Wendy had made landfall and caused $100 million in damages. Nobody was killed or missing. Wendy caused damage in Daytona too. Many homes were damaged and trees were losing large branches. The storm moved quickly off shore. The state governor declared a state of emergency for 2/3 of Florida. The governor had a speech to say about the storm and how they will recover.
Georgia[]
Georgia responded quickly to Wendy. Wendy caused 18.0" of rain in Savannah. Wendy also destroyed homes along the coast and downed trees. A state of emergency was declared and clean up operations started soon after.
South Carolina[]
South Carolina was in devastation. Charleston and Hilton Head Island received the worst damage, exceeding $1 billion in damages. Many people sustained minor injuries, but killed none. A state of emergency was declared among the coast of South Carolina.
North Carolina[]
North Carolina sustained the worst from Wendy. In Wilmington, 12 people were killed in a flooded building. $600 million in damages were caused. 2,317 people were rushed to hospitals in North Carolina. North Carolina was in a major state of emergency.
The governor said, "There has never been anything this bad since Irene in 2011. We haven't had so many deaths in a single county either. This state will recover as soon as possible."
North Carolina and New Jersey were both severely impacted and devastated.
New Jersey[]
New Jersey was damaged severely. A car accident in Newark killed 4 people. In Ocean City, 4 people were swept away in the flood. Ocean City was flooded and seen in the picture below.
Elsewhere[]
Hurricane Wendy made landfall on Manhattan causing 10 people to go missing. Wendy caused a minor tornado that damaged the One World Trade Center and the Three World Trade Center. 4" of rain was experienced in Bangor, Maine. Wendy also caused a strong EF3 tornado that hit Washington, DC.
Retirement[]
The WMO retired the name Wendy due to the damages and deaths Wendy caused. The name Wendy was replaced with Wilda for 2031.
See Also[]
- Hurricane Olga
- Hurricane Barry (2025)
- Tropical Storm Chantal (2025)