1955 was an above average hurricane season due to an ongoing La Nina. Also this year was still part of the first active phase. The 1955 hurricane season had 5 destructive hurricanes: Connie, Diane, Hilda, Ione, and Janet. Ione was the 4th destructive hurricane of the 1955 season. In addition, Ione was also the 3rd hurricane to make landfall in North Carolina along with Connie and Diane.

Around September the 6th/7th a tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa. The wave continued to produce convection but was disorganized. The wave also slowly moved west/northwest. On September the 11th the wave became better organized and was declared a tropical depression. However, the depression was fighting wind shear despite being over warm water. On September 12th the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ione. Due to the wind shear Ione did not start really developing until the 14th. On the 14th Ione winds increased to 65 mph as the shear eased up. What would become the National Hurricane Center noted that Ione was getting better organized and could become a strong hurricane.

On September 15th Ione became a hurricane. On the 16th Ione became a category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph. On the 17th Ione became a 120 mph category 3 hurricane, which made Ione a major hurricane. On the 18th Ione became a category 4 hurricane with winds 140 mph, and a pressure 938 millibars. On the 19th cooler air entered into Ione and caused it to decrease to a category 3 hurricane, which was still a major hurricane.

Late on September 19th early morning of the 20th Ione made landfall in North Carolina with winds up to 110 mph. This made Ione a high end category 2 hurricane. Ione then scooted up the North Carolina Coast and even produced hurricane force winds in Southeast Virginia. On the 21st Ione emerged back over water and over the Gulf Stream as a 75 mph hurricane. Later that evening Ione became a 100 mph category 2 hurricane. On September 22nd Ione started to become extra-tropical.

Ione was a destructive hurricane and was the 3rd hurricane to make landfall in North Carolina. Moreover, Ione hit the same area that hurricanes Connie and Diane had made a month earlier. Ione caused 7 deaths in North Carolina and caused $90 million dollars overall to the United States.

Due to the impacts the name Ione would later be retired. Ione was the 3rd name from 1955 that would eventually be retired. Overall 1955 had 4 names that would go on to be retired. Ione was a historic storm because it was the 3rd hurricane in a 6 week time period to strike North Carolina. It was also the 4th out of 5 destructive hurricanes from 1955.