In the following study, south Florida is defined as the region south of Sebastian Inlet, FL and Tarpon Springs, FL on the east and west coasts, respectively. In addition to the peninsula and its barrier islands south of the aforementioned locales, south Florida includes the Monroe County (Florida) Keys as well. This definition is utilized, since Atlantic hurricane climatology, coastal/offshore topography, and SST/SSTA north of the two "break points" displays different patterns and characteristics than the south Florida region.
INTRODUCTION
From 1851 to 2007, 57 hurricanes have made landfall on the south Florida region. Here are the statistics for these tropical cyclones.
Total: 57
Category 1: 20 (35 percent)
Category 2: 14 (24.5 percent)
Category 3: 15 (26.3 percent)
Category 4: 6 (15.3 percent)
Category 5: 2 (0.35 percent)
Hurricane strikes per period:
1851-1900: 13 (22.8 percent)
1901-1950: 29 (50.9 percent)
1950-2007: 14 (24.5 percent)
Total: 57
Source: Official NHC list (HURDAT)
Only five (8.7 percent) of the 56 hurricanes featured a minimum central pressure below 940 mb at landfall, respectively. Of the five TCs, three (60 percent) struck the south Florida mainland, while two (40 percent) hit the Florida Keys.
<940 mb landfalls on south FL:
1. 1926 #6 (Cat 4) - 933 mb* at Coral Gables, Dade County, S FL mainland
2. 1928 #4 (Cat 4) - 929 mb at West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, S FL mainland
3. 1935 #2 (Cat 5) - 892 mb at Craig Key, Monroe County, FL Keys
4. 1960 Donna (Cat 4) - 930 mb near Conch Key, Monroe County, FL Keys
5. 1992 Andrew (Cat 5) - 922 mb at Fender Point (near Homestead), Dade County, S FL mainland
Source: Official NHC list (HURDAT)
*Reanalysis (http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/presentations/irr_040819.ppt)
Key points:
-The number of very intense landfalls is infinitely small. The statistics speak for themselves. Category 4 and 5 landfalls and TCs below <940 mb are incredibly rare in the TC capital of the CONUS (1851-2007).
-The majority of the landfalls were Category 1 hurricanes.
-Most of the hurricanes affected the defined area between 1901-1950.
-The most intense TCs struck from the east, east-southeast, southeast, or south-southeast. However, there was a significant quantity of Category 2/3 strikes from the south and southwest, particularly in October.
Notable landfalls from 1900-2007:
South Florida region is defined by the blue boundary in this study.
Why wasnt Charley on those maps?
