[nb 1] However, in the absence of modern satellite and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so the actual total could be higher.

However, climate researcher Michael Chenoweth authored a reanalysis study, published in 2014, which concluded that the 1881 season featured a total of seven tropical cyclones.

Making landfall in Georgia, the cyclone caused approximately 700 deaths and at least $1.7 million (1881 USD) in damage in the state and in South Carolina.

Chenoweth's study utilizes a more extensive collection of newspapers and ship logs, as well as late 19th century weather maps for the first time, in comparison to previous reanalysis projects.

Most notably, the season's fifth cyclone peaked as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale with sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 970 mbar (29 inHg).

[8] The storm moved generally north-northwestward across the Gulf of Mexico before striking Dauphin Island, Alabama, and then near the Alabama-Mississippi state line on August 3 with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h).

[5] An assessment of the storm by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project estimated that it weakened to a tropical depression early the following day, shortly before dissipating over east-central Mississippi.

[16] Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth argued that this storm actually developed as a tropical depression offshore North Carolina on July 26.

The cyclone intensified into a hurricane as it moved generally southwestward, but generated into a tropical wave before crossing southern Florida on July 30.

Moving westward and then northwestward by the following day, the cyclone made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas, at 21:00 UTC on August 13 with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h).

[17] Chenoweth could not confirm the existence of this system as a tropical cyclone, noting "No storm in Texas press accounts" and that Dunn and Miller's 1960 reanalysis misdated a hurricane in 1880.

[7] With The Times noting that the brigantine Fonthill "encountered a tremendous hurricane with a heavy cross sea" over the far eastern Atlantic on August 11,[18] the official track begins on that day approximately 375 mi (605 km) west of the Cabo Verde Islands with winds already at 90 mph (150 km/h).

No evidence of this storm exists past August 18, when the official track ceases about 780 mi (1,255 km) south-southeast Cape Race, Newfoundland.

[7] Land-based observations from the Gulf Coast of the United States attest to the existence of this storm beginning on August 16,[18] while HURDAT initiates the cyclone's track close to Cozumel.

However, the cyclone resumed a northeastward motion on August 17 and passed through the Bahamas between then and early on the following day, making landfall on the Abaco Islands.

[5][6] It weakened to a tropical storm on August 21 and became extratropical the same day approximately 280 mi (450 km) east-southeast of Sable Island, Nova Scotia.

After moving south-southeastward toward the Florida Keys, the cyclone turned northeastward and made landfall near present-day Everglades City as a minimal hurricane.

By early on August 29, the system turned northwestward and weakened to a tropical depression later that day, before dissipating near the Arkansas-Mississippi state line.

[5] Chenoweth proposed a more consistent northwestward movement of this storm, leading to a landfall around Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, instead of in Georgia.

[10] Landfall coincided with high tide and proved very destructive as several barrier islands were completely submerged by storm surge.

[20] In Savannah, Georgia, few structures escaped damage, with the Monthly Weather Review noting that "nearly every house received a copious supply of salt water."

Moving northeastward, the storm intensified slightly, becoming a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) early on September 9, several hours prior to making landfall in present-day Oak Island, North Carolina.

[6] Rapidly weakening to a tropical storm by early on September 10, the cyclone then turned northeastward, passing close to Wilmington–Wrightsville Beach area and later near Norfolk, Virginia, before re-emerging into the Atlantic that day.

[5] One of the few changes proposed by Chenoweth's 2014 study was the extension of the storm's duration and track back to September 3, as a tropical depression east of the Windward Islands.

[15] The hurricane weakened to a tropical storm over land, bringing heavy, yet beneficial, precipitation to other states, including the first rainfall in Washington, D.C. in 33 days.

Fisher first encountered this storm on September 18,[23] leading the Atlantic hurricane database to begin the track about 270 mi (435 km) northwest of Bermuda.

After moving generally northwestward for several days, the cyclone trekked mostly northeastward, with the exception of a northward jog, until dissipating on September 6 over the central Atlantic.

Chenoweth's final proposed system formed well east of the Lesser Antilles on December 7 and moved slowly westward before dissipating the next day.