Marathon, 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)

Marathon most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 28th and October 4th

Years near or within core winds

1871ts
1876tsbr
1876
1878ts
1878
1889ts
1891tsbr
1891ts
1894br
1895ts
1897ts
1898tsbr
1904tsbr
1906
1906m
1909m
1910brm
1916
1919m
1924br
1926brm
1926m
1928ts
1929
1932tsbr
1933brm
1933
1935m
1935brm
1935bdbr
1936tsbr
1941brm
1945brm
1947brm
1947
1948m
1948
1950br
1952ts
1960m
1964m
1965m
1966
1981ts
1987
1991tsbr
1992brm
1994tsbr
1998
1998ts
1999
2005bdbr
2005brm
2006tsbr
2008ts
2012ts
2017m
2018tsbr
2020ts
2022mbr
2024br

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

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

King
Donna
Isbell
Betsy
Inez
Greta
Dennis
Floyd
Fabian
Andrew
Gordon
Georges
Mitch
Irene
Katrina
Rita
Wilma
Ernesto
Fay
Isaac
Irma
Gordon
Eta
Ian
Helene

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 23, 37.70%
H = 38, 62.30%

33.89% of all tropical systems affecting Marathon are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

14 years 1967-1980

How often this area gets affected?

Marathon Brushed or hit every 2.51 years

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

Once every 6.95 years. (22 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 15.3 years. (10 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 2027

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

Last affected by

2024 September 26th Hurricane Helene brushes well to the west-northwest with 110 mph winds while moving north.

This area's hurricane history

1876 October 19th, 105 mph from the South passes just west
1878 October 21st 80 mph from the south-southwest passes just east.
1906 June 17th, 80 mph from the southwest
1906 October 18th, 120 mph pressure 28.55 hundreds of laborers killed while working on railroad windscoming from the south-southwest
1909 October 11th, 120 mph from the west-southwest, pressure 28.36 inHg, hundreds of buildings destroyed.
1916 November 15th, 75 mph from the west-southwest
1919 September 9th, 130 mph just south from the east-southeast
1926 October 20th, 125 mph from the southwest passes just east (HURDAT2)
1929 September 28th, 95 mph from the east-southeast passes just north
1933 October 5th from the southwest with 110 mph winds.
1935 September 3rd Labor day hurricane one of strongest ever to hit U.S. Pressure 26.35 inHg. Area leveled. 185 mph sustained winds, some gusts to 230 mph. Hundreds killed. September 3rd, eye was reported at only 8 miles across. 252 veterans missing or presumed dead, 106 injured, 164 civilians dead or missing. 35 miles of railroad washed away. Monument | Monument close | Video aftermath
1947 October 11th 90 mph while moving north-northeast just west of here
1948 September 21st 120 mph winds just west while moving north-northeast.
1948 October 5th 105 mph (HURDAT) moving fast from the southwest over entire keys.
1960 September 10th Donna hits with 140 mph winds from the southeast with gusts to 180 mph moving slow at 8 mph storm surge 13 ft pressure 27.40 9 ft storm surge total devastation miraculously only 4 people killed in the keys, sustained winds here 120mph+. Over 12 inches of rain, tides 6 ft over US1, eye just north of city. More here | Gordon Dunn talks about forecasting Donna | Weather service post sketch | NHC Wallet
1964 October 14th, 125 mph winds from Hurricane Isbell passing just north from the southwest. NHC Wallet
1965 September 8th Hurricane Betsy just north with 120 mph from the east sustained winds causes heavy damage here, gusts to 165 mph. NHC Wallet
1966 October 4th Hurricane Inez hits with 100 mph winds from the east-northeast extremely high unconfirmed reports of 150 mph gusts. NHC Wallet
1987 October 12th Hurricane Floyd hits with 75 mph winds, gusts to 95 mph, causes minor damage, pressure 29.32 inHg. NHC Wallet
1998 September 25th hurricane georges passes 45 miles to the s.w of here with 105 mph winds causing minor damage here, a few tornados. | USGS surge info
1999 October 15th Hurricane Irene passes just west of here while moving north-northeast with 75 mph winds. NHC Report | News coverage | Jim Leonard in Marathon
2005, October 24th, Hurricane Wilma passes approximately 80 miles north of Marathon while moving northeast with 120 mph winds as a very large hurricane. Intense winds remained approximately 15 miles north of lower keys considered a brush but a surge ranging from 5 to 8 ft inundated many homes in the lower keys.2005 October 24th, Hurricane Wilma passes 73 miles to the north while moving northeast with 110 mph winds carrying a very large wind field expanding to Key Largo while passing. Radar animation
2017 September 10th Hurricane Irma passes just west while moving north with 130 mph winds. Marathon suffers heavy damage 3.7 ft inundation, estimates from FEMA indicate that 25% of buildings were destroyed, 65% were significantly damaged, and 90% of houses sustained some damage. Approximately 75% of the residents in the Keys evacuated before Irma.. Power outage photos before & after | Best performing models 5 days before hit | EURO model 3 days out | Long range GEFS many days out | UKMET model 2 days out | Jim Williams predicts a hit on Marathon before season starts | Typical damage shot in Marathon | Relief concert 5 former presidents attend | Best track data | USGS surge info | NWS Key West map info | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Our live coverage | Aftermath video tour | Jim Edds in big Pine Key

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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......