Hurricane season is typically on the decline in October. Fortunately, it has been a quiet hurricane season for us in Florida. To date, a hurricane has failed to make landfall in South Florida this year.
History has shown us, however, that there can still be potent hurricanes this time of year. So now is not the time to let your guard down. But history also shows us that October hurricane strikes are rare occurrences. Indeed, on average there is 1 hurricane strike in October every 5 years.
While it is exceedingly rare for a hurricane to strike in October, such strikes can be rather potent. For instance, Hurricane Wilma in 2005 was one of the strongest hurricanes on record. In fact, at its peak, Wilma reached full fury over the western Caribbean with sustained winds of 185 miles per hour. Wilma’s central pressure of 26.05 inches is the lowest ever recorded for an Atlantic hurricane.
Wilma weakened over time and ultimately made landfall in South Florida as a Category 3 hurricane. But Wilma still caused major damage and disruption throughout South Florida. In fact, Wilma became the 3rd costliest hurricane in U.S. history causing over $20 billion dollars in damages in South Florida, primarily from wind damage to structures in the highly populated areas of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.
Then there was also Hurricane Hazel back in 1954. Hazel was one of the strongest hurricanes on record for October, and also the farthest northern Category 4 hurricane to hit in any month. It struck the South Carolina/North Carolina border with devastating impact and to this day remains a benchmark for how bad a hurricane be on those coasts.
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