Panama City, 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)

Panama city most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 7th and September 13th

Years within or near core

1871tsbr
1875ts
1877br
1877m
1878ts
1879tsbr
1880bd
1882
1885-2ts
1886br
1887br
1889tsbr
1894m
1896
1898ts
1899bdbr
1901tsbr
1902tsbr
1903
1906ts
1907-2ts
1911br
1915
1917m
1919tsbr
1924
1926m
1929ts
1936
1939ts
1941bdbr
1948ts
1953ts
1953tsbr
1953
1956ts
1957tsbr
1964bdtsbr
1964bdxtropst
1965ts
1966bdbr
1970tsbr
1972
1975m
1985m
1985
1994-2ts
1995br
1995m
1998
2000tsbr
2001ts
2005brm
2008tsbd
2009ts
2012tsbr
2017tsbdbr
2018ts
2018m
2019tsbr
2020bdtsbr
2021ts
2024mbr

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

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

Alice
Florence
Flossy
Debbie
Dora
Hilda
Alma
Becky
Agnes
Eloise
Elena
Kate
Beryl
Allison
Erin
Opal
Earl
Helene
Barry
Dennis
Fay
Claudette
Debby
Irma
Alberto
Michael
Nestor
Sally
Fred
Helene

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 37, 56.06%
H = 29, 43.94%

only 14.52% of all tropical systems affecting Panama city are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1976-1984

How often this area gets affected?

Panama city Brushed or hit every 2.32 years

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

Once every 8.05 years. (19 hits) State stats

Average years between direct major hurricane hits. (major hurricane in advisory upon passage)

Once every 19.13 years. (8 hits)

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

104 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 September 26th major Hurricane Helene hits Perry, Florida 93 miles to the east with 140 mph winds while moving north-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1877, 115 mph October 2nd from the southwest. Hit map
1880 August 31st, 75 mph from the east-southeast
1882 September 10th, 110 mph from the southwest passes to the west
1894 October 9th, 120 mph from the southwest.
1896 July 7th causes heavy damage 95 mph from the south-southwest just west.
1903 September 13th, 90 mph from the south
1915 September 4th 90 mph from the south.
1917 September 28th, 115 mph 50 miles to the west while moving northeast.
1924 September 15th 75 mph from the west-southwest.
1926 September 20th, 125 mph to the south from the east-southeast.
1936 July 31st a storm surge of 6 feet, pressure 28.47 inHg, 95 mph from the south-southeast passes just west.
1953 florence September 26th, sustained winds of 90 mph (HURDAT) while just west of here, pressure 29.35 from the southwest.
1972 Agnes 85 mph July 19th from the south.
1975 September 23rd Hurricane Eloise hits just west of here with 130 mph winds from the south-southwest.Winds here were gusting over 130 mph &a 16 ft storm surge caused very heavy dmage. NWS report
1985 September 1st 125 mph to the south Hurricane Elena from the east-southeast
1985 November 21st, 90 mph Hurricane Kate hits just south from the southwest. Hit map
1995 opal October 4th 115 mph winds hit to west area has bad damage when it hit Fort Walton Beach 50 homes destroyed in Mexico Beach to west. Average model error | FEMA declaration map
1998 September 3rd Hurricane Earl hits in early September with 80 mph winds moving from s.w fast causes minor to moderate damage here.
2018 October 10th, Hurricane Michael passes over with 160 mph winds while moving northeast causing heavy destruction 15 deaths in Bay County. Our video documentary of Michael as it happened | Our short version eye/eyewall of Michael | Cell phone video from eyewall | Michael eyewall width chart at landfall | Comfort Suites damage | Comfort Suites before/after | Panarama video from hotel | Callaway damage | Waffle House | Before & after photos USGS | NWS Tallahassee final reports | NOAA team looks at damage | Hurricane Researchers ashes spread in Michael | Tree damage 5 months later | CIMSS blog as it happens | Aerial damage from Mexico Beach | CIMSS visible landfall animation | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Map position of Michael at landfall | Wind band map | Model track errors (per NHC) | Recon data | Intensity model errors | 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......