Hurricane Dora was the first tropical cyclone on record to make landfall over the Atlantic coast of North Florida at hurricane intensity. The sixth tropical storm and second hurricane of the 1964 season, Dora developed from a tropical wave near the coast of Senegal on August 28. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Dora late on August 31. It then curved northwestward and continued to strengthen. By late on September 2, Dora became a Category 1 hurricane. Intensification slowed somewhat, with Dora becoming a Category 2 hurricane on September 4 and then a Category 3 hurricane the following day. Deepening further, the storm briefly peaked as a Category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) on September 6. Dora soon weakened to a Category 3 hurricane and then a Category 2 hurricane while curving westward early the following day.
Dora maintained Category 2 intensity over the next few days, except for several hours on September 9. While approaching the northeast coast of Florida, Dora's motion became erratic, making a few cyclonic loops. Early on September 10, the hurricane made landfall near St. Augustine, Florida, with winds of . Dora quickly weakened to tropical storm intensity over land on September 11 and then briefly drifted over southwestern Georgia, until turning northeastward later the next day. Upon merging with a cold front, Dora became extratropical cyclone over coastal South Carolina on September 13. Early on September 14, the extratropical storm emerged into the Atlantic Ocean over the Outer Banks of North Carolina and accelerated, striking Newfoundland on September 15 before being absorbed by another extratropical system.
Along the First Coast of Florida, tides reached up to above mean sea level. Strong winds lashed the region, with sustained wind of observed in St. Augustine. In Jacksonville, approximately 156,000 customers lost power, while about 19% of phones in Duval County were out of service. Much of the damage in the Jacksonville area occurred to older buildings and those located in coastal areas. Additionally, sections of the city experienced wind-induced river flooding in the vicinity of the St. Johns River. Heavy rainfall damaged many unharvested crops and inundated numerous roads and bridges, isolated some communities for several days. Throughout Florida, Dora demolished 74 dwellings and damaged 9,374 others, while 14 mobile homes were destroyed and 218 others suffered severe impact. About 50 farm buildings and 423 small businesses suffered major damage or destruction. Three deaths and at least $230 million in damage occurred. In Georgia, the storm damaged about 1,135 homes and obliterated 5 others. Additionally, 18 trailers suffered major impact, while 43 small businesses were destroyed or experienced severe damage. The state reported one death and at least $9 million in damage. Dora impacted a few other states the East Coast of the United States, but to a much lesser degree. One death occurred in Virginia. Overall, Dora caused $280 million in damage, which is equivalent to $2.6 billion in 2022 USD, and five deaths.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Dora was first identified as a broad area of low pressure on August 28, 1964, that moved off the west coast of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean near Dakar, Senegal. Traveling west-southwestward, the system brushed the Cape Verde Islands on the next day. By August 31, images from the eighth Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS VIII) depicted a developing storm with a central dense overcast, banding features and cirrus outflow. Observations from ship Mormacscan, which passed closest to the storm, indicated decreasing barometric pressures and wind gusts up to . Shortly thereafter, the Weather Bureau in San Juan, Puerto Rico, issued the first advisory on the storm, with the center estimated to be roughly 850 mi (1,370 km) east of Trinidad.
After advisories began on September 1, Dora turned northwestward and continued to intensify. Several reconnaissance missions into the storm indicated that it attained hurricane status during the afternoon of September 2, However, Dora avoided the trough and instead gradually turned westward September 6.
As Dora neared North Florida in the early hours of September 10, the diameter of its eye decreased from about 28 mi to 8 mi (44 to 13 km). As Dora moved inland, gale warnings were issued from Sarasota to Pensacola. In addition, small craft for much of the Gulf Coast to the west coast of Florida, and later in the Mid-Atlantic were advised to remain in port until the storm subsided.
United States
thumb|Damage caused by storm surge in Atlantic Beach|230x230px
Overall, Dora was responsible for five deaths and $280 million in damage in the United States, much of which occurred in Florida. Within Florida and Georgia combined, the hurricane injured nearly 1,500 persons, with 72 of those people requiring hospitalization. Dora demolished at least 79 dwellings, 14 trailers, 2 farm buildings, and destroyed or severely damaged 205 boats and 466 small businesses. Additionally, Dora rendered major damage to at least 492 residences, 236 trailers, and 48 farm buildings, as well as minor damage to 10,017 residences. Approximately 13,476 families in the two states experienced losses relating to the storm. Much of the damage in the Jacksonville area occurred to older buildings and those located in coastal areas. Additionally, sections of the city experienced wind-induced river flooding in the vicinity of the St. Johns River.
thumb|left|[[The Beatles at their hotel in Key West]]
The storm was also one of the factors that nearly led to the cancellation of a Beatles concert at Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville on September 11; other reasons included that the Beatles would not perform with a segregated audience, the American Guild of Variety Artists forced the Fab Four to pay union dues, and that a group of filmmakers attempted to create bootleg footage of the concert. Those issues were eventually resolved. Initially, the Beatles planned to fly to Jacksonville after their concert in Montreal on September 8, but the storm forced their plane to be diverted to Key West. Just hours before the concert began, the Beatles arrived at Imeson Field. More than 20,000 fans attended the concert, though thousands of others could not attend due to power outages in the city. Because winds were still gusting up to , Ringo Starr's drums were nailed to the stage.
In American Beach, which was once an African-American beach community established by Abraham Lincoln Lewis, many of its historical buildings were damaged or destroyed. Additionally, several homes and businesses were also affected or demolished. Some homes were swept away in Fernandina Beach, while the foundations of several other dwellings were threatened. Approximately 40 residences were damaged or destroyed. At Fort Clinch, located near the northern tip of Amelia Island, the exterior of the fort was severely impacted by erosion. Throughout Nassau County, Dora destroyed about 50 homes and damaged 500 others, while 25 small businesses were either demolished or suffered major impact.
thumb|right|Aerial view of [[Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida|Ponte Vedra Beach]]
In St. Johns County, 14 beach homes and 2 car garages were destroyed by erosion between Vilano Beach and southern Ponte Vedra Beach. A number of other dwellings were damaged. Waves inundated many areas of St. Augustine with a few inches to as much as several feet of water. The heaviest impact occurred at the bay front, in Davis Shores, and along the San Sebastian River. At Slave Market Square, floodwaters were "hip deep", while some motel lobbies along the Matanzas River were flooded with of water. Additionally, Castillo de San Marcos was surrounded by water. Winds unroofed some homes and downed giant, centuries old oak trees. Tides of about along the St. Johns River in Palatka threatened to wash away the eastern side of the memorial bridge. Extensive erosion occurred elsewhere in Putnam County along the river. A yacht was beached at a county commissioner's riverfront home. Then-State Road 309 was flooded in the vicinity of Georgetown. Some trees were downed and a few classrooms suffered water leaks at St. Johns River Junior College in Palatka, but damage overall was minor. Approximately 1,800 people were left without telephone service in Palatka, Pomona Park, and Welaka. causing school sessions to be canceled for several days. Much of the town of Mayo was inundated. Thirteen homes were damaged in the county, while four mobile homes received major impacts. Throughout Dixie County, Dora inflicted major damage on one trailer and two dwellings and minor damage on one hundred other dwellings. Ten boats also received substantial impacts or were destroyed. Neighboring Levy County reported significant impacts to one home and four trailers, as well as minor impacts to twelve homes. Flooding left the town almost completely isolated, with all highways leading into Live Oak closed. Portions of the downtown business district became inundated with more than of water, while floodwaters may have reached as high as above ground in parts of the town. Some homes floated away, while others were flooded with water above their second-story windows. In a few neighborhoods, only the tops of the chimneys remained visible, while many residents became stranded on their rooftops and required rescue by boats. Throughout Suwannee County, 100 homes suffered major damage, while 219 other dwellings experienced minor damage and 5 mobile homes received severe impacts. Additionally, seven farm buildings were extensively damaged and 80 small businesses suffered either destruction or significant effects.
Dozens of dwellings and 25 homes at Highland Court Manor and Lincoln Estates were invaded by water in Gainesville. Several residences on Northwest 10th Avenue also flooded. At the University of Florida, the half-basements of Anderson, Flint, Matherly, and Tigert halls were flooded, though classes remained in session while crews pumped out the water. Throughout the city, saturation downed trees, some of which fell on power lines, roads, and houses. Damage in Gainesville alone exceeded $300,000. One lane along Route 441 was inundated at Orange Lake. Throughout Marion County, flooding submerged 15 to 20 county roads. Additionally, Interstate 75 was flooded between Route 27 and County Road 318, resulting in the closure of that section of the highway. The storm inflicted minor damage on 18 homes and severe impacts on 8 other residences in Marion County. Sixty-three dwellings in Daytona Beach were damaged and over of the roof at Daytona Beach International Airport was lost. In DeLand, winds uprooted many trees and caused power and telephone service outages. The winds and rainfall ranging from caused some losses of oranges and grapefruits. Two deaths occurred on September 9 when a helicopter being evacuated from the storm crashed near Sanford, killing two Navy personnel. On Jekyll Island, two motels lost portions of their roofs and a ferris wheel was destroyed. Extensive erosion also occurred on the island. Damage on Jekyll Island was conservatively estimated at $1 million. At least five homes were swept away on St. Simons Island, while sections of the pier and seawall were demolished. The F.J. Torras Causeway, a bridge connecting Sea Island and St. Simons Island to Brunswick, was flooded. Glynn County suffered over $3.6 million in damage. Although many pastures were flooded, Gale-force winds in the Charleston metropolitan area damaged some buildings and home and uprooted trees. Much of Horry County observed at least of precipitation, including a peak total of in Conway. Floods swept away a small home in the city. Several streams overflowed between Conway and Loris, which destroyed a small bridge. Offshore, the storm spawned three or four waterspouts to the southwest of Myrtle Beach. In North Carolina, heavy rainfall in the northeastern portions of the state left a beachfront highway inaccessible for about 48 hours and caused water damage in several coastal homes. Winds left sporadic damage, including to corn crops.
Rains produced by the storm in Virginia caused flooding in Norfolk, inundating low-lying roads. Norfolk Municipal Airport also closed due to floodwaters along the roads leading to it. One indirect death occurred there due to a person suffering a heart attack while attempting to secure a boat Flooding in the Buckroe Beach neighborhood of Hampton, causing about 40 residents to evacuate to Kecoughtan High School, while winds downed trees and power lines. On Assateague Island, which is split between Virginia and Maryland, steady rainfall for approximately 36 hours left about of water on intersections at lower elevations.
The remnants of Dora dropped about of precipitation along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. In Newfoundland, over 100 ships sought shelter at the St. John's harbor. The central portions of the province experienced heavy rainfall and winds up to .
Aftermath
Following the storm, President Lyndon Johnson toured the devastated area with Florida governor Farris Bryant, U.S. senators Spessard Holland and George Smathers, Jacksonville mayor and Democratic nominee for governor Haydon Burns. President Johnson also personally assessed the damage in coastal Georgia, including at Brunswick and St. Simons Island. In the flooded areas, the Red Cross delivered typhoid serum by helicopter.