donsutherland1 wrote:Bucman1,
The argument that Florida's west coast is rarely hit by major hurricanes is anything but factual. Besides the twin Tampa Bay hurricanes of 1848, major hurricanes made landfall on the west coast since that time in the following years:
• 1873
• 1896
• 1921
• 1944
• 1950 Easy
• 2004 Charley
In addition, 3 made landfall in extreme southwestern FL:
• 1906
• 1948
• 1960 Donna
Very true Don, and also.....there have been several major hurricanes to impact the Florida east coast and remain major hurricanes ALL THE WAY across the peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico.
Everyone should remember hurricane Andrew crossing the Everglades and emerging into the Gulf with 130 mph sustained winds. IF that track had been only 15 or 20 miles farther north, Naples would have been pummelled by 150-160 mph wind gusts in the northern eyewall.
The 1926 "Great Miami hurricane" slammed into Miami/Fort Lauderdale as a large and intense (140-150 mph) cat-4 monster. While the hurricane did weaken some during passage over Florida, it is estimated winds were still 125 mph or so (cat-3) as the eye exited into the GOM near Fort Myers. In those days, the Florida SW coast was almost barren....not so today. If a similar hurricane scenario occurs in 2005, both SE and SW coasts will be devastated by major hurricane conditions.
The 1888 Miami hurricane (945 mb) crossed south Florida on a path similar to Betsy and Andrew....it's possible cat-3 winds affected the lower SW coast on that occasion (depending on size of the eyewall).
In September 1947, a tremendous cat-4 hurricane, an extremely large 135-140 mph monster (940 mb) struck the Florida SE coast between Boca Raton and Hollywood, the eye crossing directly over Fort Lauderdale. This huge hurricane moved very slowly across southern Florida...so we aren't certain major hurricane conditions were experienced along the SW coast. Saying that, there is considerable evidence sustained winds reached 100-110 mph with 125+ mph gusts over a wide swath of SW Florida....from the Everglades northwestward to Sarasota county. Combined with torrential rains totalling 20-30" in some areas, a repeat of this hurricane would cause devastating damage in all of SE Florida, and extensive wind and flood damage along much of the SW Florida coast.
A major hurricane doesn't neccesarily have to impact SW Florida from the GOM to cause major damage to Tampa/ St Pete, Sarasota, Fort Myers, or Naples....history dictates vigilance of everyone in SW Florida, even if the intense hurricane is coming into SoFla from the east or southeast.
PW
