Delray Beach, Florida's History with Tropical Systems

(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)

Years within or near core

1871m
1871
1876tsbr
1876bd
1878
1885
1888m
1888-2ts
1889bdts
1891bdts
1892bdts
1901ts
1903
1906
1906m
1909-2ts
1916ts
1924ts
1926
1926m
1926br
1928
1928m
1933br
1933m
1935-2br
1935
1936bdts
1939br
1941m
1945m
1946ts
1947m
1947bd
1948-2bd
1949m
1950m
1952bdts
1953bdts
1956ts (HURDAT)
1959bdts
1960brm
1964
1964bd
1965brm
1974subts
1976ts
1979br
1984ts
1992brm
1995ts
1998bdts
1999ts
1999
2004
2004m
2005br
2005bd
2006tsbr
2016brm
2017bdbr
2020tsbr
2022bdbr
2022br
2024mbr
2024bdbr

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

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

King
Able
Judith
Donna
Cleo
Isbell
Betsy
Dottie
David
Isidore
Andrew
Jerry
Mitch
Harvey
Irene
Frances
Jeanne
Katrina
Wilma
Ernesto
Matthew
Irma
Eta
Ian
Nicole
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 25, 35.71%
H = 45, 64.29%

Longest gap between storms

9 years 2007-2015

How often this area gets affected?

Delray Beach brushed or hit every 2.19 years

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

Once every 5.28 years. (29 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 11.77 years. (13 hits)

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

108 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 brushes well to the north by 117 miles at closest approach with 95 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 16th 115 mph just north from the east. Hit map
1871 August 24th 105 mph just north moving northwest.
1876 October 20th from the south-southwest well west with 95 mph winds
1878 October 21st just east while moving north-northeast with 80 mph winds
1885 80 mph from the south-southeast just east August 23rd
1888 August 16th, 125 mph from the east-southeast just south by 37 miles. Hit map
1903 a category 1 85 mph hits September 11th from the east-southeast, a British steamship sinks off the coast of Delray 9 missing.
1906 June 17th 85 mph from the southwest just east
1906 October 18th 115 mph from the southwest
1926 July 27th 105 mph from the southeast just east
1926 September 18th 130 mph well to the south from the east-southeast
1928 August 7th 95 mph from the southeast just east
1928 September 16th 150 mph winds while moving northwest. Episcopal church on Swinton flattened. Newspaper article #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | What happened?
1933 September 4th 130 mph just north while moving west-northwest
1935 November 4th 75 mph from the east-northeast
1941 October 6th 120 mph from the east-southeast well south
1945 September 16th a major hurricane with 125 mph winds passes roughly 45 miles to the west while moving north-northwest
1947 September 17th, area hit hard with gusts to 130 mph. HRD pressure 27.76 inHg. A large hurricane just south slow moving pounded the area for hours only moving at 10 mph with 130 mph winds. Weather map. An 11 foot storm surge reported along the coast.
1947 October 12th 80 mph (HURDAT2) from the southwest.
1948 September 22nd 90 mph from the southwest.
1948 October 5th 105 mph from the southwest just south.
1949 August 26th 150 mph gusts, pressure 28.17 inHg. 1 min max of 153 mph, 5 min max of 132 mph. Heavy damage & many roofs ripped off. Weather map | Newspaper headline | Newspaper article
1950 Hurricane King October 18th 20 miles to the west with 130 mph winds causes heavy damage inland. Track
1964 August 27th Hurricane Cleo hits with 96 mph winds causing minor damage here. NHC Wallet
1964 October 14th from the southwest Hurricane Isbell with 125 mph winds causes moderate damage here, she maintained her intensity even after hitting the west coast NHC Wallet
1999 October 15th Hurricane Irene hits just west with 75 mph winds pressure 29.12 dumps very heavy rain & trees down. Newspaper article | News coverage
2004 Hurricane Frances moves in on September 5th, from the east-southeast just north with 105 mph winds. | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) NHC report | Tree falling in back yard
2004 September 25th Hurricane Jeanne moves in just north similar to Frances with 115 mph winds.| Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Our coverage
2005, October 24th Hurricane Wilma hits from the southwest with 105 mph winds while moving quickly northeast. Wilma passed over Delray Beach with the eye lasting approximately 45 min. Pressure 28.23 inHg. Damage was extensive but not as bad as areas to south. Moderate roof damage to many buildings, signs down & many trees toppled. City hall building was hit hard as 30 ton AC unit was torn from building. Old school square roof had to be replaced. The tennis center in Delray also suffered $350,000 in damage. Hurricane Wilma caused an estimated 20 billion in damage with 35 deaths in Florida. Radar animation Wilma approaching from southwest (courtesy of hometownweather.com) | Radar animation Wilma leaving east coast (courtesy of hometownweather.com) | Hurricane warning show | Radar during worst conditions in Delray | Radar of eye passage in Delray | Radar of backside eye passage in Delray | Wilma satellite picture category 5 in Caribbean | Wilma landfall video at our location | Local office bldg | Roof damage | NHC final report

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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......