NHC AL051985 · Atlantic basin
Hurricane Elena (1985)
August 28, 1985 – September 4, 1985
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
Hurricane Elena peaked at Category 3 with 127 mph sustained winds and passed within 75 miles of 278 US cities, 155 of them while still at hurricane strength.
Elena in the record
HURDAT2 tracks Elena from August 28, 1985 to September 4, 1985; its peak was 127 mph (Category 3). HURDAT2 marks a landfall within 50 miles of a US city on this site: on September 2 at 115 mph (Category 3), 4 miles from Long Beach, MS. Its centre passed within 75 miles of 278 US cities, in 4 states, most in Louisiana (138) and Mississippi (78). The strongest pass was 127 mph (Category 3) 43 miles from Port St Joe, FL; the centre came closest to Carriere, MS, 1 mile away.
- Peak strength
- Category 3
- Cities within 75 mi
- 278
- At hurricane strength
- 155
- States
- 4
127 mph
when closest
Cities Elena passed near, strongest first
Florida (33)
- Port St JoeCategory 3 · 43 mi
- ApalachicolaCategory 3 · 44 mi
- EastpointCategory 3 · 54 mi
- Panama CityCategory 3 · 58 mi
- WewahitchkaCategory 3 · 58 mi
- Lynn HavenCategory 3 · 60 mi
- CarrabelleCategory 3 · 66 mi
- YoungstownCategory 3 · 71 mi
- Panama City BeachCategory 3 · 55 mi
- Inlet BeachCategory 3 · 57 mi
- Miramar BeachCategory 3 · 59 mi
- Santa Rosa BeachCategory 3 · 60 mi
- FreeportCategory 3 · 69 mi
- DestinCategory 3 · 59 mi
- Fort Walton BeachCategory 3 · 59 mi
- ShalimarCategory 3 · 60 mi
- Eglin AfbCategory 3 · 62 mi
- ValparaisoCategory 3 · 66 mi
- NicevilleCategory 3 · 66 mi
- NavarreCategory 3 · 55 mi
- Mary EstherCategory 3 · 56 mi
- Hurlburt FieldCategory 3 · 61 mi
- Gulf BreezeCategory 3 · 63 mi
- MiltonCategory 3 · 67 mi
- PensacolaCategory 3 · 49 mi
- CantonmentCategory 3 · 58 mi
- PaceCategory 3 · 63 mi
- MolinoCategory 3 · 66 mi
- Mc DavidCategory 3 · 72 mi
- InglisCategory 2 · 70 mi
- Cross CityCategory 2 · 71 mi
- ChieflandCategory 2 · 72 mi
- Crystal RiverCategory 2 · 73 mi
Alabama (29)
- LillianCategory 3 · 41 mi
- Gulf ShoresCategory 3 · 27 mi
- Orange BeachCategory 3 · 33 mi
- FoleyCategory 3 · 36 mi
- ElbertaCategory 3 · 38 mi
- SummerdaleCategory 3 · 42 mi
- SilverhillCategory 3 · 44 mi
- RobertsdaleCategory 3 · 50 mi
- CodenCategory 3 · 25 mi
- FairhopeCategory 3 · 40 mi
- DaphneCategory 3 · 47 mi
- LoxleyCategory 3 · 50 mi
- Spanish FortCategory 3 · 51 mi
- Bay MinetteCategory 3 · 66 mi
- Grand BayCategory 3 · 29 mi
- IrvingtonCategory 3 · 30 mi
- TheodoreCategory 3 · 35 mi
- MobileCategory 3 · 44 mi
- SemmesCategory 3 · 48 mi
- PrichardCategory 3 · 50 mi
- WhistlerCategory 3 · 50 mi
- ChickasawCategory 3 · 52 mi
- Eight MileCategory 3 · 52 mi
- SaralandCategory 3 · 56 mi
- SatsumaCategory 3 · 58 mi
- ChunchulaCategory 3 · 62 mi
- Mount VernonCategory 3 · 74 mi
- WilmerCategory 3 · 50 mi
- CitronelleCategory 3 · 68 mi
Mississippi (78)
- PascagoulaCategory 3 · 16 mi
- Long BeachCategory 3 · 2 mi
- GulfportCategory 3 · 5 mi
- BiloxiCategory 3 · 10 mi
- DibervilleCategory 3 · 12 mi
- Ocean SpringsCategory 3 · 13 mi
- GautierCategory 3 · 16 mi
- VancleaveCategory 3 · 23 mi
- Moss PointCategory 3 · 24 mi
- LucedaleCategory 3 · 46 mi
- LeakesvilleCategory 3 · 63 mi
- Pass ChristianCategory 3 · 4 mi
- SaucierCategory 3 · 14 mi
- WavelandCategory 3 · 12 mi
- PerkinstonCategory 3 · 22 mi
- DiamondheadCategory 3 · 6 mi
- Bay St LouisCategory 3 · 12 mi
- Mc HenryCategory 3 · 20 mi
- KilnCategory 2 · 5 mi
- BeaumontCategory 2 · 55 mi
- BrooklynCategory 2 · 43 mi
- RichtonCategory 2 · 67 mi
- WigginsCategory 2 · 33 mi
- PicayuneCategory 2 · 6 mi
- OvettCategory 2 · 69 mi
- CarriereCategory 2 · overhead
- PoplarvilleCategory 2 · 14 mi
- PetalCategory 2 · 56 mi
- LumbertonCategory 1 · 29 mi
- PurvisCategory 1 · 39 mi
- HattiesburgCategory 1 · 50 mi
- MoselleCategory 1 · 62 mi
- EllisvilleCategory 1 · 70 mi
- SumrallCategory 1 · 47 mi
- SeminaryCategory 1 · 60 mi
- Sandy HookCategory 1 · 20 mi
- ColumbiaCategory 1 · 33 mi
- CollinsCategory 1 · 64 mi
- FoxworthCategory 1 · 28 mi
- BassfieldCategory 1 · 49 mi
- TylertownCategory 1 · 16 mi
- Mount OliveCategory 1 · 67 mi
- PrentissTropical storm · 52 mi
- MagnoliaTropical storm · 5 mi
- JayessTropical storm · 28 mi
- MonticelloTropical storm · 40 mi
- Silver CreekTropical storm · 47 mi
- MageeTropical storm · 72 mi
- MccombTropical storm · 11 mi
- SummitTropical storm · 14 mi
- NewhebronTropical storm · 56 mi
- MendenhallTropical storm · 72 mi
- Bogue ChittoTropical storm · 23 mi
- BraxtonTropical storm · 71 mi
- LibertyTropical storm · 6 mi
- SmithdaleTropical storm · 8 mi
- BrookhavenTropical storm · 30 mi
- WessonTropical storm · 40 mi
- GlosterTropical storm · 10 mi
- CentrevilleTropical storm · 20 mi
and 18 more
Louisiana (138)
- Port SulphurCategory 3 · 70 mi
- BurasCategory 3 · 72 mi
- Saint BernardCategory 2 · 51 mi
- VioletCategory 2 · 51 mi
- MerauxCategory 2 · 49 mi
- LafitteCategory 2 · 72 mi
- ChalmetteCategory 2 · 50 mi
- Belle ChasseCategory 2 · 59 mi
- SlidellCategory 2 · 24 mi
- ArabiCategory 2 · 50 mi
- GretnaCategory 2 · 55 mi
- HarveyCategory 2 · 57 mi
- Pearl RiverCategory 2 · 17 mi
- New OrleansCategory 2 · 51 mi
- MarreroCategory 2 · 59 mi
- WestwegoCategory 2 · 58 mi
- LacombeCategory 2 · 26 mi
- MetairieCategory 1 · 53 mi
- HarahanCategory 1 · 57 mi
- KennerCategory 1 · 54 mi
- Saint RoseCategory 1 · 59 mi
- Abita SpringsCategory 1 · 19 mi
- MandevilleCategory 1 · 27 mi
- LulingCategory 1 · 64 mi
- BoutteCategory 1 · 65 mi
- Des AllemandsCategory 1 · 73 mi
- BushCategory 1 · 9 mi
- DestrehanCategory 1 · 61 mi
- BogalusaCategory 1 · 1 mi
- HahnvilleCategory 1 · 62 mi
- CovingtonCategory 1 · 21 mi
- NorcoCategory 1 · 60 mi
- AngieCategory 1 · 12 mi
- MadisonvilleCategory 1 · 28 mi
- La PlaceCategory 1 · 58 mi
- FolsomCategory 1 · 17 mi
- ReserveCategory 1 · 61 mi
- FranklintonCategory 1 · overhead
- RobertCategory 1 · 26 mi
- PonchatoulaCategory 1 · 35 mi
- GramercyCategory 1 · 65 mi
- VacherieCategory 1 · 70 mi
- LutcherCategory 1 · 66 mi
- PaulinaCategory 1 · 68 mi
- LorangerCategory 1 · 21 mi
- HammondCategory 1 · 32 mi
- SpringfieldCategory 1 · 42 mi
- TickfawCategory 1 · 29 mi
- Mount HermonCategory 1 · overhead
- AlbanyCategory 1 · 35 mi
- MaurepasCategory 1 · 53 mi
- IndependenceTropical storm · 26 mi
- Saint AmantTropical storm · 60 mi
- AmiteTropical storm · 20 mi
- SorrentoTropical storm · 63 mi
- RoselandTropical storm · 17 mi
- HoldenTropical storm · 36 mi
- KentwoodTropical storm · 8 mi
- WalkerTropical storm · 42 mi
- LivingstonTropical storm · 44 mi
and 78 more
Other storms of the 1985 season
About this record
The track is the National Hurricane Center's best-track record, revised after the season with every observation available. Strength at a city is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, not the wind that city measured.