Cape Canaveral, Florida's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Cape Canaveral Hurricane History Video

(br) = Brush (ts) = Tropical Storm (bd) = Back Door, meaning coming from over land from opposite coast. Not all names are noted. Also, storms before 1950 were not named. Not every stat on every storm description is given. (since 1871)

Cape Canaveral most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 7th and September 13th

Years within or near core

1871brm
1871
1872bdts
1873bdtsbr
1873bdts
1873
1874bdbr
1876bd
1878bdbr
1878br
1879bdtsbr
1880
1880bdbr
1881br
1885
1886bdbr
1887br
1887brm
1887tsbd
1888bdbr
1892bdts
1893-2m
1894bdbr
1896bdbr
1897bdts
1898brm
1899brm
1899bdtsbr
1910bdtsbr
1915
1916tsbr
1921bd
1925xtrophbdbr
1926
1928ts
1928
1933br
1933brm
1934tsbd
1937ts
1939br
1944bdtsbr
1945bdbrm
1949
1950bdtsbr
1950bdbr
1951bdtsbr
1953bdtsbr
1956ts (HURDAT)
1960bd
1964tsbd
1964br
1968bdts
1974subtsbd
1979
1981bdts
1983ts
1984ts
1985bdts
1988tsbd
1994bdts
1995br
1995ts
1999bd
2001tsbd
2004bdbr
2004
2004brm
2005tsbr
2008tsbd
2016bdtsbr
2016m
2017bdbr
2019br
2020tsbr
2022bdts
2022br
2024mbr
2024bd

80 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (D storms most likely to impact the area)

Easy
King
How
Hazel
Donna
Cleo
Dora
Abby
David
Dennis
Barry
Isidore
Bob
Keith
Gordon
Erin
Jerry
Irene
Gabrielle
Charley
Frances
Jeanne
Tammy
Fay
Colin
Matthew
Irma
Dorian
Eta
Ian
Nicole
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 34, 42.5%
H = 46, 57.5%

only 17.5% of all tropical systems affecting Cape Canaveral are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

10 years 1900-1909

How often this area gets affected?

Cape Canaveral Brushed or hit every 1.91 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)

Once every 8.5 years. (18 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 30.6 years. (5 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

94 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2024 October 10th Hurricane Milton eye passes over while coming across from west coast with 85 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 25th, just west 90 mph from the s.e 29 miles to the south.
1873 a category 1 hits from the southwest just south of here with 90 mph winds on October 7th
1876 October 20th, 90 mph from the south-southwest passes just east
1880 August 29th 105 mph from the east over 50 killed
1885, 90 mph from the south-southeast a 10 ft storm surge August 24th severe erosion eye 20 miles off shore
1893 August 27th 120 mph just east from the south-southeast. Hit map
1893 October 12th, 120 mph from the south-southeast also just east. Hit map
1915 August 1st, Hurricane approaches while weakening to a tropical storm with 75mph (HURDAT) winds 18 miles to northeast.
1921 October 26th, 90 mph from the west-southwest just north
1926 July 28th 80 mph winds from quick moving hurricane from the south-southeast causes 2 million dollars damage
1928 September 17th, 105 mph at closest approach from the southeast passes just southwest by 55 miles
1949 August 27th, 95 mph to the southwest by 57 miles at closest approach
1960 September 11th, Hurricane Donna passes by to the west from the southwest with 75 mph winds. NHC Wallet
1979 September 3rd Hurricane David, 95 mph from the south-southeast. NHC Wallet
1999 October 16th Hurricane Irene 40 miles to the east from the south-southwest with 80 mph winds causes moderate tree damage & flooding pressure 29.12Newspaper article
2004 September 5th, 90 mph Hurricane Frances hits passing to the south from the east-southeast with hurricane force winds extending north while passing inland.. Many trees down, signs damaged power out for days a very large & slow moving hurricane, tree down at house on 810 cedar drive.fences down, damage to car.Cape canaveral Mercury redstone rocket tipped over. | USGS surge info | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2016 October 7th, Hurricane Matthew hits just east with 120 mph winds while moving north-northwest, reported wind gust to 100 mph, 17.01 inches rain at Cape Canaveral Air Station in east-central Florida. Saltwater intrusion also affected NASA�s rocket launch facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, causing several million dollars-worth of damage. The roof of NASA�s Operations Support Building II (OSB-II) broke and rainwater damaged the interior of the structure. (per NHC) Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Matthew timeline | NHC final report | USGS surge info
2024 October 10th Hurricane Milton eye passes over while coming across from west coast with 85 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

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Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......