MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — At the time, it had been more than 30 years since the destruction from Hurricane Hazel, and now came a new monster to the Carolinas. What later would become Hurricane Hugo first originated as a tropical wave off the coast on Sept. 9, 1989. It was labeled a tropical depression the next day and became the eleventh system of the Atlantic 1989 hurricane season.
Hugo was classified as a Category 1 hurricane on Sept. 13th. Like many monster hurricanes, Hugo began a period of rapid intensification. In just 24 hours, winds would increase from 105 mph to 160 mph. This would be Hugo’s peak intensity.
Hugo was downgraded to a Category 4 as it closed in on the Leeward Islands. It made landfall in Guadalupe and Montserrat with winds of 140 mph. The landfall in Guadalupe occurred on Sept. 17 at 1 a.m. The eye of the storm then crossed directly over St. Croix on Sept 18. Seven hours later it made another landfall on the island of Vieques on the east coast of Puerto Rico with winds of 120 mph.