1945 Florida–Outer Banks hurricane

The 1945 Florida–Outer Banks hurricane was a moderate Atlantic hurricane that tracked along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to the Carolinas in the first month of the annual season. The first tropical storm and hurricane of the year, it developed on June 20 in the western Caribbean off Mexico. For the next few days, it moved generally northward into the Gulf of Mexico. Reaching hurricane intensity on June 23, it then turned northeast toward the Florida peninsula, briefly peaked with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h), and rapidly weakened thereafter. It made landfall in the Big Bend on June 24 as a minimal hurricane, weakening to a tropical storm inland. Mostly minor wind damage, along with a few tornadoes, was reported in Florida, but the storm produced heavy—though largely beneficial—rains that eased one of the state's worst recorded droughts, while causing flash floods that wrecked bridges.

Upon entering the Atlantic Ocean, the storm regained hurricane status, paralleling the East Coast. On June 26, it struck North Carolina's Outer Banks as a marginal hurricane, producing minor damage but heavy rainfall. Continuing northeast, the cyclone delivered gale-force winds to New York and southern New England, causing traffic accidents, including a fatality, and mild wind damage. Heavy rains drenched the area, and high waves offshore caused passengers aboard ships on Long Island Sound to need rescue. Peak winds on land reached 66 mph (106 km/h), forcing ships to remain in port, while authorities sought to escort ships at sea into safe harbor. Overall, the impact of the storm was slight, though air temperatures fell almost 20 °F (−7 °C) the day after the storm. Inclusive of tornadoes, losses from the storm surpassed $81,000.