Approximately 500 tropical andsubtropical cyclones have affected the state of Florida. More storms hit Florida than any other U.S. state,^[1] and since 1851 only eighteen hurricane seasons passed without a known storm impacting the state. Collectively, cyclones that hit the region have resulted in over 10,000 deaths, most of which occurred prior to the start ofhurricane hunter flights in 1943. Additionally, the cumulative impact from the storms has totaled over US$300 billion in damage (2018 dollars), primarily fromHurricane Andrew,Hurricane Irma andHurricane Ian in the1992,2017, and2022 seasons respectively. The most recent hurricane to make landfall in Florida wasHurricane Milton in2024.

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 return periods, or expected time between hurricane strikes of a certain intensity or category within 86 miles (138 km) of a given location, that are the lowest in the country.Monroe County was struck by 26 hurricanes since1926, which is the greatest total for any county in the United States.^[2]

In aMonthly Weather Review paper published in 1934, theU.S. Weather Bureau recognizedKey West andPensacola as the most hurricane-prone cities in the state; Key West experiences both storms developing from the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean, while Pensacola has received hurricanes crossing the state as well as storms recurving in the northernGulf of Mexico.^[3] Officially, the earliest hurricane to affect the state wasHurricane Alma on June 9; the latest,Hurricane Kate on November 21. However, preliminaryreanalysis suggests that a hurricane may have struck the state on May 28,1863.^[4]

The strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall on the state was the1935 Labor Day hurricane, which crossed theFlorida Keys with a pressure of 892millibars (26.3 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.^[5]

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.^[6] A total 159 hurricanes are known to have affected the state prior to1900, which collectively resulted in at least 6,504 fatalities and monetary damage of over $102 million (2017 dollars). Additionally, at least 109 boats or ships were either driven ashore, wrecked, or damaged due to the storms. A strong hurricane struck northwest Florida on May 28, 1863, and is the earliest landfall during the year known in the US, pending reanalysis.^[4]

Information is sparse for earlier years due to limitations intropical cyclone observation, though as coastlines became more populated, more data became available. TheNational Hurricane Center recognizes the uncertainty in both the death tolls and the dates of the events.^[7]

In the period between1900 and1949, 108 tropical cyclones affected the state, which collectively resulted in about $4.5 billion (2017 dollars) in damage. Additionally, tropical cyclones in Florida were directly responsible for about 3,500 fatalities during the period, most of which were from the1928 Okeechobee hurricane, the state's deadliest. The1947 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of six systems. The1905,1908,1913,1927,1931,1942, and1943 seasons were the only years during the period in which a storm did not affect the state.

The strongest and most intense hurricane to hit the state during the period was the1935 Labor Day hurricane—the most potent on record to strike the United States. Collectively this storm, the1926 Miami hurricane, and the 1928 hurricane claimed over 3,280 lives in Florida—three of the state's 10 most impactful weather events in the 20th century; the 1926 storm would be the costliest of any U.S. hurricane in present monetary values. Hurricane-wise the 1940s were among the state's busiest decades: 11 hurricanes struck from 1944–50, six of them major, including five Category 4 hurricanes inSouth Florida. Storms catalyzed development: impacts radiated societally, broaching complex political and socioeconomic topics, and lead to epochal changes such as flood control and building codes.^[8][9]

In the period between1950 and1974, 85 tropical or subtropical cyclones impacted the state, which collectively resulted in about $7 billion (2017 dollars) in damage, primarily fromHurricanes Donna,Hurricane Cleo (1964) andDora. 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, includingHurricane Easy, which is the highest total during the period. The1969 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of eight systems. The1954 and1967 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 wasHurricane Donna.^[10][5] Additionally, HurricanesEasy,King,Betsy, andAlma hit or otherwise impacted the state asmajor hurricanes.^[11]

In the period between1975 and1999, 83 tropical or subtropical cyclones affected the state, which collectively resulted in $51.1 billion (2017 dollars) in damage, primarily fromHurricane Andrew, and 54 direct casualties. The1985 season was the year with the most tropical cyclones affecting the state, with a total of eight systems. Every year included at least one tropical cyclone affecting the state. The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the period wasHurricane Andrew, which was one of only fourCategory 5 hurricanes to strike the United States. Andrew, at the time, was the costliest tropical cyclone in United States history. Additionally, HurricanesEloise,Elena, andOpal hit or otherwise impacted the state asmajor hurricanes.

The period from2000 to the present has been marked by several devastatingNorth Atlantic hurricanes; as of 2023^[update], 79tropical orsubtropical cyclones have affected the U.S. state of Florida. Collectively, cyclones in Florida over that period resulted in over $236 billion in damage, most of it fromHurricane Ian.^[12] Additionally, tropical cyclones in Florida were responsible for 145 direct fatalities and at least 92 indirect ones during the period. Eight cyclones affected the state in both2004 and2005, 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 wasMichael, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 5 hurricane–the strongest sinceAndrew in1992. Additionally, nine other hurricanes madelandfall on or otherwise impacted the state asmajor hurricanes.

The followingmajor hurricanes either madelandfall on the state as a major hurricane or brought winds ofCategory 3 status to the state. For storms that made landfall twice or more, the maximum sustained wind speed, and hence the highest Saffir–Simpson category, at the strongest landfall is listed. Only landfalls at major hurricane intensity are listed. Storms are listed since 1851, which is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane database.^[5][9] Originally, hurricanes were classified by central pressure in the 20th century;^[9][13] however, modern practices quantify storm intensities bymaximum sustained winds.^[14] United States hurricanes are still classified by central pressure from 1971 to 1979;^[9][15] therefore, the maximum sustained winds in the Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) are used for storms from 1971 to 1979,^[5] since this period has not been reanalyzed by theAtlantic hurricane reanalysis project.^[16]

Saffir–Simpson rankings were given United States storms beginning in 1975,^[14] first on the basis of pressure,^[13] then on wind alone since the late 1980s;^[14] informal metrics gauged intensity prior. A "Great Hurricane" contained winds over 125 mph (200 km/h) and spread hurricane-force winds over 100 miles (160 km) or more, while also generating high tides, low pressures, extensive damage, and casualties.^[18] A "Major" hurricane featured winds of 101–135 mph (163–217 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 28.01 to 29.00 inHg (949 to 982 mb); an "Extreme" hurricane, at least 136 mph (219 km/h)—roughly equivalent to Category 4 on the Saffir–Simpson scale—and 28.00 inHg (948 mb) or lower.^[19] From 1880 to 1960 the following Florida storms have been classified as "Great", "Major", and/or "Extreme":

Wikimedia Commons has media related toEffects of hurricanes in Florida.

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• Barnes, Jay (1998).Florida's Hurricane History (1st ed.).Chapel Hill, North Carolina:UNC Press.ISBN 0-8078-2443-7 – viaInternet Archive.
• Blake, Eric;Rappaport, Edward N. & Landsea, Christopher (April 15, 2007) [2006].The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones (1851 to 2006)(PDF) (Technical report).NOAA Technical Memorandum. Miami:National Hurricane Center.NWS TPC-5.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 16, 2008. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2008.
• Bossak, Brian (March 26, 2003).Early 19th century U.S. hurricanes: a GIS tool and climate analysis(PDF) (Doctor of Philosophy thesis).Florida State University. RetrievedDecember 12, 2024.
• Chenoweth, Michael; Mock, Cary J. (2013)."Hurricane "Amanda": Rediscovery of a Forgotten U.S. Civil War Florida Hurricane".Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc.94 (11):1735–1742.Bibcode:2013BAMS...94.1735C.doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00171.1.S2CID 123011306.
• Doehring, Fred; Duedall, Iver W.; Williams, John M. (June 1994).Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, 1871–1993: An Historical Survey (Technical report). Technical Paper. Gainesville, Florida:Florida Sea Grant. 71,Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms – viaNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Dunn, Gordon; Miller, Banner I. (1960).Atlantic hurricanes.Louisiana State University Press.LCCN 60-10630 – via Internet Archive.
• Gray, Richard (January 1933). Written at Miami."Florida hurricanes"(PDF).Monthly Weather Review.61 (1). Washington, D.C.:United States Weather Bureau:11–13.Bibcode:1933MWRv...61...11G.doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1933)61<11:FH>2.0.CO;2.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 16, 2008. RetrievedDecember 10, 2024 – via American Meteorological Society.
  • — (1936).Norton, Grady (ed.).Florida hurricanes (Report).United States Department of Agriculture. 68891–36. RetrievedDecember 11, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
• Jarrell, Jerry P.; Herbert, Paul J.;Mayfield, Max (August 1992).Hurricane experience levels of coastal county populations, Texas to Maine (Technical report).NOAA Technical Memorandum.Coral Gables, Florida: National Weather Service. NWS NHC-46. RetrievedDecember 10, 2024.
• Johnson, Lamar (1974).Beyond the Fourth Generation.Gainesville:University Press of Florida.ISBN 978-0813003986 – via Internet Archive.
• Kleinberg, Eliot (2003).Black Cloud: The Deadly Hurricane of 1928.Carroll and Graf Publishing.ISBN 0-7867-1386-0 – via Internet Archive.
• Landsea, Christopher W.; Glenn, David A.; Bredemeyer, William; et al. (2007)."A Reanalysis of the 1911–20 Atlantic Hurricane Database"(PDF).Journal of Climate.21 (10). American Meteorological Society:2138–2168.Bibcode:2008JCli...21.2138L.doi:10.1175/2007JCLI1119.1.Archived(PDF) from the original on May 14, 2016. RetrievedNovember 22, 2008 – via Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
  • —; Strahan-Sakoskie, Donna; Hagen, Andrew (July 2012)."A Reanalysis of the 1944–53 Atlantic Hurricane Seasons – The First Decade of Aircraft Reconnaissance"(PDF).Journal of Climate.25 (13).Boston:American Meteorological Society:4441–4460.Bibcode:2012JCli...25.4441H.doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00419.1 – via Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
• Pfost, Russell L. (2003)."Reassessing the Impact of Two Historical Florida Hurricanes".Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.84 (10).Boston:American Meteorological Society:1367–1372.Bibcode:2003BAMS...84.1367P.doi:10.1175/BAMS-84-10-1367.
• "Reports on the Florida hurricanes of September and October, 1926".Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.7 (12):160–161. December 1926.Bibcode:1926BAMS....7..160..doi:10.1175/1520-0477-7.12.160.JSTOR 26261956.
• Williams, John M.; Duedall, Iver W. (2002) [1997].Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, 1871–2001 (2nd ed.).Gainesville:University Press of Florida.ISBN 0-8130-2494-3 – via Internet Archive.
• Winsberg, Morton D. (1990).Florida Weather (1st ed.).Orlando, Florida:University of Central Florida Press.ISBN 0-8130-0989-8 – via Internet Archive.
• Will, Lawrence E. (1961).Okeechobee Hurricane and the Hoover Dike (1st ed.).St. Petersburg, Florida: Great Outdoors Publishing.OCLC 1309988 – via Internet Archive.

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