List of Florida hurricanes

Hurricane Charley hitting Florida near Port Charlotte as a Category 4 hurricane, the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew

The List of Florida hurricanes encompasses approximately 488 tropical or subtropical cyclones that affected the state of Florida. More storms hit Florida than any other U.S. state, and since 1851 only eighteen hurricane seasons passed without a known storm impacting the state. Collectively, cyclones caused a death toll of 10,272 people in the region, most of which occurring prior to the start of Hurricane Hunters flights in 1943. Additionally, the cumulative impact from the storms totaled over $115 billion in damage (2008 USD), primarily from Hurricane Andrew and hurricanes in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

Climatology

Most intense landfalling U.S. hurricanes
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure

Rank	Hurricane	Season	Landfall pressure
1	"Labor Day"	1935	892 mbar (hPa)
2	Camille	1969	909 mbar (hPa)
3	Katrina	2005	920 mbar (hPa)
4	Andrew	1992	922 mbar (hPa)
5	"Indianola"	1886	925 mbar (hPa)
6	"Florida Keys"	1919	927 mbar (hPa)
7	"Okeechobee"	1928	929 mbar (hPa)
8	"Great Miami"	1926	930 mbar (hPa)
	Donna	1960	930 mbar (hPa)
10	Carla	1961	931 mbar (hPa)
Source: HURDAT, Hurricane Research Division

Tropical cyclones have affected Florida in every month of the year with the exceptions of January and March. Nearly one-third of the cyclones affected the state in September, and nearly three-fourths of the storms affected the state between August and October, which coincides with the peak of the hurricane season. Portions of the coastline have the lowest return period, or the frequency at which a certain intensity or category of hurricane can be expected within 86 mi (139 km) of a given location, in the country. Monroe County was struck by 26 hurricanes since 1926, which is the greatest total for any county in the United States.

In a Monthly Weather Review paper published in 1934, the U.S. Weather Bureau recognized Key West and Pensacola as the most hurricane-prone cities in the state; Key West experiences both storms developing from the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while Pensacola has received hurricanes crossing the state as well as storms recurving in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The earliest storm to affect the state was the 1952 Groundhog Day Tropical Storm, and the latest storm to impact the state was a hurricane making landfall on December 1, 1925.

The strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall on the state was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which crossed the Florida Keys with a pressure of 892 mbar (hPa; 26.35 inHg); it is also the strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States. Out of the ten most intense landfalling United States hurricanes, four struck Florida at peak strength.

Pre-1900

Tracks of hurricanes over Florida from 1851 to 1899

Main article: List of Florida hurricanes (pre-1900)

The first recorded tropical cyclone to affect the area that is now the state of Florida occurred in 1523, when two ships and their crews were lost along the western coastline. A total 159 hurricanes are known to have affected the state prior to 1900, which collectively resulted in at least 6,504 fatalities and monetary damage of over $90 million (2008 USD). Additionally, at least 109 boats or ships were either driven ashore, wrecked, or damaged due to the storms.

Information is sparse for earlier years due to limitations in tropical cyclone observation, though as coastlines became more populated, more data became available. The National Hurricane Center recognizes the uncertainty in both the death tolls and the dates of the events.

1900–1949

Surf from 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane

Main article: List of Florida hurricanes (1900–49)

In the period between 1900 and 1949, 108 tropical cyclones affected the state, which collectively resulted in about $4 billion (2008 USD) in damage. Additionally, tropical cyclones in Florida were directly responsible for about 3,500 fatalities during the period, most of which from the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. The 1947 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of 6 systems. The 1905, 1908, 1913, 1927, 1931, 1942, and 1943 seasons were the only years during the period in which a storm did not affect the state.

The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the period was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which is the strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States. Several other major hurricanes struck the state during the period, including the 1926 Miami Hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, and a cyclone each in 1945 and 1949 which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.

1950–1974

Radar image of Hurricane Donna making landfall

Main article: List of Florida hurricanes (1950–74)

In the period between 1950 and 1974, 85 tropical or subtropical cyclones impacted the state, which collectively resulted in about $6.2 billion (2008 USD) in damage, primarily from Hurricanes Donna and Dora. Additionally, the storms were directly responsible for 93 fatalities and indirectly for 23 more deaths. Several tropical cyclones produced over 20 inches (500 mm) of rainfall in the state, including Hurricane Easy, which is the highest total during the period. The 1969 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of 8 systems. The 1954 and 1967 seasons were the only years during the period in which a storm did not affect the state.

The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the period was Hurricane Donna, which was the 8th strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States. Additionally, Hurricanes Easy, King, Cleo, Isbell, and Betsy hit the state as major hurricanes.

1975–1999

House damage from Hurricane Andrew

Main article: List of Florida hurricanes (1975–99)

In the period between 1975 and 1999, 83 tropical or subtropical cyclones affected the state, which collectively resulted in $45 billion (2008 USD) in damage, primarily from Hurricane Andrew, and 54 direct casualties. The 1985 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of 8 systems. Every year included at least 1 tropical cyclone affecting the state. The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the period was Hurricane Andrew, which was one of only three Category 5 hurricanes to strike the United States. Andrew, at the time, was the costliest tropical cyclone in United States history and remains the second-costliest. Additionally, Hurricanes Eloise, David, and Opal hit the state as major hurricanes.

2000–present

A beachfront home in Navarre Beach, Florida largely destroyed by Hurricane Dennis

Main article: List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)

The period from 2000 to the present was marked by several devastating North Atlantic hurricanes; as of 2007, 58 tropical or subtropical cyclones have affected the U.S. state of Florida. Collectively, cyclones in Florida over that period resulted in over $64 billion in damage (2008 USD). Additionally, tropical cyclones in Florida were responsible for 69 direct fatalities and at least 80 indirect ones during the period. Eight cyclones affected the state in both 2003 and 2005, which were the years with the most tropical cyclones impacting the state. Every year included at least one tropical cyclone affecting the state.

The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the period was Hurricane Charley, which was the strongest hurricane to strike the United States since Hurricane Andrew. Additionally, Hurricanes Jeanne, Dennis, Wilma, and Hurricane Ivan made landfall on the state as major hurricanes, although Katrina was just a Category 1 when it made landfall.

Florida major hurricanes

The following major hurricanes either made landfall on the state or brought winds of Category 3 status to the state. Storms are listed since 1851, which is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane database. Originally, hurricanes were classified by central pressure in the 20th century; however, modern practices quantify storm intensities by maximum sustained winds. United States hurricanes are still classified by central pressure from 1921–1979; therefore, the maximum sustained winds in the Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) are utilized for storms from 1921–1979, since this period has not been reanalyzed by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project.

Storm	Saffir-Simpson Category	Date of landfall	Year	Landfall Intensity (in knots)	Landfall Location
Great Middle Florida	3	August 23	1851	100	Panama City
Unnamed	3	August 17	1871	100	Jupiter Island
Unnamed	3	October 7	1873	100	Captiva Island
Unnamed	3	October 3	1877	100	Panama City
Unnamed	3	September 10	1882	100	Navarre
Unnamed	3	August 16	1888	110	Miami Beach
Unnamed	3	October 9	1894	105	Panama City
Unnamed	3	September 10	1896	110	Cedar Key
Unnamed	3	October 18	1906	105	Marathon Everglades National Park
Unnamed	3	October 11	1909	100	Marathon
Unnamed	3	September 29	1917	100	Okaloosa County
Unnamed	4	September 10	1919	130	Offshore Florida Keys
Great Miami	4	September 18	1926	125	Perrine
Okeechobee	4	September 17	1928	125	Palm Beach
Unnamed	3	September 4	1933	110	Jupiter
Labor Day	5	September 3	1935	160	Craig Key
Unnamed	3	October 6	1941	105	Goulds
Unnamed	4	September 15	1945	120	Upper Florida Keys
Unnamed	4	September 17	1947	135	Fort Lauderdale
Unnamed	3	September 21	1948	105	Lower Florida Keys Everglades National Park
Unnamed	3	October 5	1948	110	Marathon Everglades National Park
Unnamed	4	August 26	1949	130	Palm Beach Shores
Easy	3	September 5	1950	105	Cedar Key
King	3	October 18	1950	105	Miami
Donna	4	September 10	1960	120	Key Vaca Naples
Betsy	3	September 8	1965	110	Upper Florida Keys
Eloise	3	September 23	1975	110	Bay County
Elena	3	September 2	1985	100	Gulfport, Mississippi
Andrew	5	August 24	1992	145	Homestead
Opal	3	October 4	1995	100	Pensacola Beach
Charley	4	August 13	2004	130	Cayo Costa Punta Gorda
Frances	2	September 5	2004	105	Sewall's Point, Florida
Ivan	3	September 16	2004	105	Gulf Shores, Alabama
Jeanne	3	September 26	2004	105	Hutchinson Island
Dennis	3	July 10	2005	105	Santa Rosa Island
Katrina	3	August 23	2005	105	Hallandale/Miramar FL
Wilma	3	October 24	2005	105	Cape Romano

Climatological statistics

Number of recorded storms affecting Florida

Month	Number of storms
January	0
February	1
March	0
April	1
May	9
June	51
July	35
August	97
September	160
October	117
November	17
December	2

Number of recorded storms affecting Florida

Period	Number of storms
pre-1700	41
18th-century	16
1800–1809	2
1810s	5
1820s	5
1830s	16
1840s	13
1850s	11
1860s	6
1870s	25
1880s	30
1890s	27
1900–1909	23
1910s	18
1920s	17
1930s	25
1940s	21
1950s	25
1960s	37
1970s	37
1980s	34
1990s	32
2000–2009	55
2010s	3

Deadliest storms

The following is a list of hurricanes with 100 or more deaths in the state.

Name	Year	Number of deaths
"Okeechobee"	1928	2,500+
Unnamed	1781	2,000
Unnamed	1622	1,090
Unnamed	Around 1553	700
Unnamed	1553	<700
Unnamed	1559	500
Unnamed	1559	~500
Unnamed	1683	496
"Labor Day"	1935	409
"Miami"	1926	372
Unnamed	1563	284
"Florida Keys"	1906	240

See also

• Climate of Florida
• List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
• List of Atlantic hurricanes
• List of wettest known tropical cyclones in Florida
• Tropical cyclone

Further reading

• Barnes, Jay (2007). Florida's Hurricane History. Chapel Hill Press. ISBN 0-8078-3068-2.