Palm Beach, Florida's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Palm Beach 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)

Palm Beach most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 14th and September 20th

Years within or near core

1871m
1871
1873bdbrm
1876tsbr
1876bd
1878bdts
1878br
1885
1888m
1888ts
1889bdts
1891tsbr
1891bdts
1893-2br
1899brm
1901ts
1903
1904tsbr
1906bdbr
1906bd
1909-2ts
1924bdtsbr
1926
1926m
1926bdbrm
1928
1928m
1932tsbr
1933br
1933m
1935br
1935brm
1939br
1941brm
1945m
1946ts
1947m
1947bd
1948bd
1948bdbr
1949m
1950
1951bdts
1952bdts
1953bdtsbr
1956ts (HURDAT) 1959bdts
1960brm
1960bdts (HURDAT)
1964m
1964bd
1968bdtsbr
1974subts
1976ts
1979
1984ts
1985bdts
1994tsbr
1995ts
1998bdts
1999
2004
2004m
2005tsbr
2005bd
2006tsbr
2008tsbdbr
2016brm
2017bdbr
2019brm
2020tsbr
2022bdbr
2022br
2024mbr
2024bdbr

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

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

King
How
Hazel
Judith
Donna
Cleo
Isbell
Abby
Dottie
David
Isadore
Bob
Gordon
Jerry
Mitch
Irene
Frances
Jeanne
Katrina
Wilma
Ernesto
Fay
Matthew
Irma
Dorian
Eta
Ian
Nicole
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 31, 40.26%
H = 46, 59.74%

24.68% of all tropical systems affecting Palm Beach are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

14 years 1910-1923

How often this area gets affected?

Palm Beach Brushed or hit every 1.99 years

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

Once every 6.12 years. (25 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)

107 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 106 miles at closest approach with 90 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 16th 115 mph just north in Jupiter from the east, developed just east of Bahamas. Hit map
1871 August 24th 105 mph passing to north while moving west-northwest
1876 October 20th, 95 mph from the south-southwest to the west
1885 August 24th, 80 mph from the south passes just east
1888 August 16th, 125 mph from the east-southeast passes to the south by 50 miles. Hit map
1903 just south a category 1, 80 mph September 11th from the east-southeast
1906 October 18th, 110 mph from the south-southwest passes just east.
1926 July 27th, 95 mph from the southeast
1926 September 18th, 130 mph to the south by 65 miles from the east-southeast, West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County reported many roofs blown off, numerous small buildings destroyed, walls blown down, windows shattered, and trees, shrubs, and other objects torn apart or uprooted
1928 August 7th, 95 mph from the southeast
1928 September 16th, over 2,500 killed from flooding, pressure 27.43 inHg, winds 155 mph according to NOAA HRD. Over 18 inches of rain very heavy damage, most killed around Lake Okeechobee. Storm surge on coast estimated at 11 feet killing 25 & washing out A1A. Newspaper article#1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | Monument near lake | Wording on monument in West Palm Beach | Monument panned out | Monument close up | Monument panned out | Monument flag | Monument time capsule | Monument panned out | Whole Monument | Rochester Times headlines | What happened? | Wayne Neely book on 1928 hurricane | Author Robert Mykle talks about his book Killer Cane 1928 Okeechobee hurricane | HRD report
1933 September 4th, 130mph (HURDAT2) from the east-southeast as eye passes over.
1945 September 15th, 115 mph winds at closest approach to the southwest by 58 miles from the east-southeast
1947 September 17th, just south by 19 miles a category 4 heavy damage 130 mph (HURDAT2) from the east while passing over Delray Beach.
1947 October 12th, 75 mph (HURDAT2) from the west-southwest.
1948 back door category 1 September 22nd 85 mph from the southwest.
1949 August 26th 130 mph (HURDAT) meter blew away, eye passes over Palm Beach. Lake Okeechobee 12 foot storm surge. Newspaper headline | Newspaper article
1950 king October 18th, 100 mph (HURDAT2) to the west from the south-southeast after hitting Miami hard causing heavy beach erosion. Weakens to category 2 near lake Okeechobee. Track
1964 August 27th Hurricane Cleo hits with 90 mph winds from the south causing minor damage here.Peak gust 104 mph east-southeast at 8:40 AM sustained east-southeast 86 mph, pressure 29.14, rain 3.99. NHC Wallet
1964 Hurricane Isbell hits from the southwest with 115 mph winds October 15 as she maintained her intensity even after hitting the west coast. NHC Wallet
1979 September 3rd, David 95 mph gusts to 90 mph western eyewall comes ashore from the South. Jim Leonard Palm Beach | Radar loop
1999 Hurricane Irene October 16th hits with 75 mph winds pressure 29.12. area had very heavy rain & many trees down while moving north-northeast @ 10-mph Newspaper article | News coverage
2004 September 5th, Hurricane Frances passes just north with 105 mph winds from the east-southeast. Many trees down, signs damaged power out for days a very large & slow moving hurricane. Some roof damage in north part of county. 6 deaths in Palm Beach County, 12 inches plus rain in many areas. Newspaper headline | Newspaper headline #2 | Side by side radar of Frances & Jeanne | Frances article | Frances article | Models 5 days out | USGS surge info
2004 September 26th, Hurricane Jeanne hits just north by 38miles from the east with 120 mph winds. Many trees down power outages for days. Second hurricane hit in 22 days as area felt most winds from the west.2 deaths in Palm Beach County Models 4 days before hitting | Side by side radar of Frances & Jeanne | Jeanne newspaper headline | Jeanne article | Jeanne article #2 | Jeanne article #3 | Jeanne article #4 | Jeanne wind swath map | Condo damage | Jim Leonard in Riviera Beach | HurricaneCity live broadcast at landfall | USGS surge info
2005, October 24th Hurricane Wilma hits from the southwest with 105 mph winds while moving quickly northeast. Wilma passed over Palm Beach with the eye passing directly overhead. Damage was extensive but not as bad as areas to south. Moderate roof damage to many buildings, signs down & many trees toppled. Official final report from NHC SFWMD 90 mph sustained with gusts to 113 mph. West Palm Beach 81 mph gusts to 98 mph. Palm Beach Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex 81 mph sustained gusts to 114 mph. 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 of eye passage in Palm Beach | Wilma satelite picture | Wilma damage century village | NHC 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......