List of Florida hurricanes

Approximately 500 tropical and subtropical cyclones have 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. Many of these storms caused a lot of damage and loss of life, especially before we had special airplane flights to track hurricanes closely, which began in 1943.

The storms that hit Florida have caused over 10,000 deaths and more than $397 billion in damage when we adjust for today’s money. The biggest money damages came from three big storms: Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Irma in 2017, and Hurricane Ian in 2022. The most recent storm to reach land in Florida was Hurricane Milton in 2024. These storms show how important it is to prepare for hurricanes in Florida.

Climatology

Tropical cyclones have affected Florida in every month except January and March. About one-third of these storms hit the state in September, and most storms occur between August and October, which is the peak of hurricane season. Some parts of Florida’s coastline see hurricanes more often than anywhere else in the country.

The city of Key West and Pensacola are known to face many hurricanes. The earliest known hurricane to hit Florida was Hurricane Alma on June 9, and the latest was Hurricane Kate on November 21. The strongest hurricane ever to hit the state was the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, which struck the Florida Keys with very low pressure. Four of the ten strongest hurricanes ever to hit the United States made landfall in Florida.

Pre-1900

The first known storm to hit what is now Florida happened in 1523, when two ships and their crews were lost along the western coast. Before the year 1900, 159 hurricanes are known to have affected Florida. These storms caused at least 6,504 deaths and damage worth over $138 million in today’s dollars. Many boats and ships were also damaged or destroyed by these hurricanes. A powerful hurricane hit northwest Florida on May 28, 1863, marking the earliest known landfall for a hurricane in the United States during that year.

Because information from long ago is limited, it can be hard to know exactly when and how many people these storms affected. As more people lived along the coast, more details about these storms became available. The National Hurricane Center notes that there is some uncertainty about the numbers and dates of these early events.

1900–1949

From 1900 to 1949, 108 tropical cyclones affected Florida. These storms caused nearly $6 billion in damage (in 2026 dollars) and about 3,500 deaths. The worst of these was the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, which was the deadliest storm in the state's history. The year 1947 had the most storms, with six tropical cyclones hitting Florida. Some years, like 1905, 1908, 1913, 1927, 1931, 1942, and 1943, did not see any storms affect the state.

The strongest storm was the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded to hit the United States. Along with the 1926 Miami hurricane and the 1928 hurricane, these storms were three of the ten most serious weather events in Florida's history in the 20th century. The 1940s were very active for Florida, with 11 hurricanes from 1944 to 1950, including six major hurricanes and five Category 4 storms in South Florida. These storms led to important changes in how Florida managed floods and built structures.

1950–1974

Between the years of 1950 and 1974, 85 storms affected Florida. These storms caused over $9 billion in damage (in 2026 dollars), with big storms like Hurricanes Donna, Hurricane Cleo (1964), and Dora doing a lot of the damage. Some storms brought a lot of rain, with Hurricane Easy bringing the most rain during this time. The year 1969 had the most storms hitting Florida, with eight storms affecting the state. In 1954 and 1967, no storms hit Florida.

The strongest storm during this time was Hurricane Donna. Other strong storms like Hurricane Easy, King, Betsy, and Alma also hit or affected Florida.

1975–1999

Between the 1975 Atlantic hurricane season and the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season, 83 storms affected Florida. These storms caused over $67 billion in damage (in 2026 dollars), with most of the damage coming from Hurricane Andrew. There were 54 deaths from these storms. The year with the most storms was 1985, with eight storms. Every year during this time had at least one storm that impacted the state. The strongest storm was Hurricane Andrew, which was one of only four Category 5 hurricanes ever to hit the United States. At the time, Andrew was the costliest storm in U.S. history. Other big storms that affected Florida were Hurricanes Eloise, Elena, and Opal, which all hit the state as major hurricanes.

2000–present

From the year 2000 to now, Florida has faced many strong storms. As of 2026, 83 tropical or subtropical storms have affected the state. The years 2004 and 2005 had the most storms hitting Florida, with eight each. Nearly every year since 2000 has had at least one storm affecting the state, except for 2025. The strongest storm during this time was Michael, which hit Florida as a very powerful Category 5 hurricane.

Florida major hurricanes

Many strong storms, called major hurricanes, have hit Florida. These are hurricanes that had very powerful winds when they reached the land. We know about these storms since 1851, when we started keeping official records of hurricanes in the Atlantic.

Strongest and most intense

"Great", "Major", and "Extreme" hurricanes

Before we had special scales to measure hurricanes, people still noticed when a storm was very strong. A "Great Hurricane" was extremely powerful, with very fast winds and big waves. A "Major" hurricane had very strong winds but was not quite as powerful as a "Great" one. An "Extreme" hurricane was even stronger than a "Major" hurricane. From 1880 to 1960, Florida experienced several of these very strong storms.

Monthly statistics

Deadliest storms

Many strong storms, called hurricanes, have hit the state of Florida. Florida has had more of these storms than any other state in the United States. Since records began in 1851, only eighteen years passed without a storm affecting Florida. These storms caused many changes and challenges for the people living there.