Fort Walton beach,Florida's history with tropical systems
current weather
(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).
Fort Walton beach most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 31st and September 6th
Years within or near core
1875ts,1877,1877brm,1879ts,1880ts,1882m,1885tsbr,1885-2ts,1887,1887tsbr,1889ts,1894tsbr,1894m,1896,1898bdts,1901ts,1902ts,1903br,1904ts,1907tsbr,1911,1914tsbd,1916m,1917,
1919tsbr,1924br,1926m,1932br,1936,1939ts,1948ts,1950br,1953,1956,1957ts,1959ts,1964xtropstbd,1965ts,1975m,1979brm,1985tsbr,1985m,1985br,1994ts,1995,1995m,1998,2000ts,2001ts,
2004m,2005ts,2005m,2009ts,2018bts,2018mbr,2020-2br,2021tsbr
59 times in 152yrs end of 2023





Names from list above
Baker,Florence,Flossy,Irene,Debbie,Eloise,Frederic,Elena,kate,Alberto,Beryl,Erin,Opal,Earl,Helene,Barry,Ivan,Arlene,Dennis,Claudette,Alberto,Michael,Sally,Zeta,Claudette,

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio
TS=30, 50.85% H=29, 49.15%
only 21.43% of all tropical systems affecting Fort Walton beach are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms
9 years 1965-1975

How often Fort Walton gets affected?
brushed or hit every 2.58 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits in Fort Walton.(hurricane force winds for at least a few hours)
(19h)once every 8 years state stats

Average years between major hurricane hits in Fort Walton.(9)
once every 16.89 years

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts)
105mph

Statistically when Fort Walton should be affected next
before the end of 2024

Last affected by
2021 June 19th Tropical Storm Claudette passes to NNW by 131 miles with 40mph winds while weakening to a depression.

Fort Waltons hurricane past
1877 Sept 19th 80mph from the WSW
1882 sept 9th 125mph from the S.W passes directly over. Hit map
1887 85mph from the SSW heavy flooding in Walton county july 27th,
1894 Oct 8th, 120mph from the WSW
1896 july 7th hurricane causes heavy damage here 90mph from the south.
1911 Aug 11th 80mph from the S.E just west
1916 oct 18th 115mph from the SSW
1917 sept 28th ,95mph gusts to 135mph gusts press 28.29 7.5ft storm surge heavy damage from the S.W
1926 Sept 20th 125mph to the south from the ESE
1936 july 31st bar 28.47 90mph winds 4 killed gusts to 125mph 6 ft storm surge from the SSE
1953 sept 26 hurricane Florence just east with 85mph winds 5 ft storm surge & minor damage here from the south.
1956 sept 24th flossy 100mph(hurdat) 8 killed while 25 miles to south from the WSW
1975 hurricane Eloise sept 23rd hits with 130mph winds with some gusts over 150mph 14 ft storm surge heavy damage from the SSW. NWS report
1985 Sept 2nd Hurricane Elena passes south with 120mph while moving WNW
1995 Aug 3rd,Erin hits with 80mph winds some roof damage bar 28.76 from the ESE
1995 Opal oct 4th, same year hits with 125mph winds bar 27.89 13ft storm surge highway 98 washed out lots of roof damage 2 billion damage was a cat 5 just before landfall major damage, spawned a dozen tornadoes. Michael Laca in Ft Walton | Newspaper headline | Newspaper headline2 | Newspaper headline3 | Newspaper article | damage photos | Newspaper damage shot | av model error | more on Hurricane Opal here | surge animation | FEMA declaration map
1998 Sept 3rd,hurricane earl hits 30 miles east with 80mph winds,minor damage here due to winds being on east side from the WSW.
2004 ,sept 16th,Hurricane Ivan passes approx 70 miles to the west with 130mph winds moving NNE over Eastern Alabama with Ivan having a wind field approx 85 miles out.Heavy beach damage.Eglin AFB 88mph gusts.Mary ester 117mph gust.Models 6 days before hitting | Damage shot | USGS surge info | radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2005 July 10th Hurricane Dennis hits with 120mph winds near Navarre.North of U.S. Highway 98, structures survived with nary a scratch. South of the major highway, the damage to beaches and buildings, particularly in Holiday Isle and Crystal Beach, was significant.Gulf Shore Drive has been compromised in four to six places.Water up to 4 ft in places. Dennis video | Surge animation | USGS surge info | radar animation(Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)


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Stat sources: NHC Track maps/hurdat2/cyclone reports Hurricane research division
Text Sources:(alp)....Divine Wind Kerry Emanuel.....Florida Hurricanes & Tropical Storms John M. Williams & Iver W.Duedall.....Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes.....Hurricane Almanac Bryan Norcross.....hurricanecity.com (calculations) Jim Williams.....Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States Rick Schwartz.....Hurricane Watch Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams.....Inside the Hurricane Pete Davies..... Isaac's Storm Erik Larson..... Killer Cane Robert Mykle.....Lunatic Wind William Price Fox....Miami Herald newspaper(microfilm).....Path of destruction John McQuaid & Mark Schleifstein.....Sun sentinel newspaper(microfilm).....The Major Hurricanes to affect the Bahamas Wayne Neely.....The Ship & the Storm Jim Carrier.....plus many more.............
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