Port Charlotte, 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)

Port Charlotte most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 14th and September 20th

Years within or near core

1872tsbr
1873m
1873tsbr
1878ts
1888bd
1891bdtsbr
1892ts
1894
1896ts
1897ts
1899tsbr
1901bdts
1902tsbr
1903bdts
1904bdts
1910
1916bdts
1921brm
1925
1926bdm
1928ts
1928bdbrm
1929
1932bdts
1933bdts
1935
1936bdts
1939bdtsbr
1941bd
1944
1945ts
1945bdm
1946br
1947bd
1947tsbr
1949bdbr
1950m
1951ts
1953
1959ts
1960m
1964brm
1964bdbr
1966
1968ts
1985tsbr
1988ts
1990ts
1994ts
1998bdbr
1998ts
1999tsbr
2001ts
2004m
2005brm
2007tsbr
2017tsbr
2017
2020tsbr
2021br
2022m
2022bdtsbr
2024tsbr
2024-2mbr

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

Names from list above (E and H storms most likely to impact the area)

Easy
How
Hazel
Judith
Donna
Isbell
Cleo
Alma
Abby
Bob
Marco
Gordon
Georges
Mitch
Harvey
Gabrielle
Charley
Wilma
Barry
Emily
Irma
Eta
Elsa
Ian
Nicole
Debby
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 35, 53.85%
H = 30, 46.15%

20% of all tropical systems affecting Port Charlotte are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

16 years 1968-1985

How often this area gets affected?

Port Charlotte Brushed or hit every 2.35 years

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

Once every 8.05 years. (19 hits)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 21.86 years. (7 hits)

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

109 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 October 9th Hurricane Milton brushes to north by 30 miles with 115 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1873 October 6th a hurricane hits here after moving west in the Gulf of Mexico abrubtly turns east & hits the area as a category 3 just south with 115 mph winds from the southwest. Hit map
1888 August 17th, 80 mph from the east-southeast just south
1894 September 25th a 105 mph hurricane hits from the south & clips just east of the area causing heavy damage especially to crops.
1910 October 18th 110 mph coming from the south pressure here around 28.50. 7 men killed in fishing boats
1925 November 30th a minimal hurricane 75 mph passes just north from the southwest
1926 September 18th the 1926 hurricane which destroyed miami moves just south of here with 120 mph winds from the east-southeast causing storm surge flooding & broke windows with some roof damage.
1929 September 29th, 105 mph from the southeast passes just south
1935 September 3rd the hurricane that destroyed the keys moves just west of here with 110 mph winds while moving north-northwest
1941 October 6th a 110 mph hurricane comes from the southeast causing some storm surge flooding from the southeast
1944 October 19th 105 mph hits from the south causing storm surge flooding here, this large system caused damage all over the state.Forecaster Grady Norton called this 48 hrs in advance.
1945 September 16th a 115 mph hurricane from the southeast causes heavy crop damage in florida while passing just east.
1947 September 18th to the south, 95 mph from the east
1950, September 4th Easy passes to the west with 115 mph winds from the south
1953, October 9th HRD project finds former TS Hazel as a hurricane hitting with 85 mph winds.
1960 Hurricane Donna, 125 mph from the south-southeast September 10th pressure 28.08 heavy storm surge flooding & damage, gusts over 130 mph here(measured by FPL), water was first pulled out into Gulf then brought back in as eye passed north causing heavy damage. More here | Gordon Dunn talks about forecasting Donna | NHC Wallet
1966 June 9th, Hurricane Alma passes to the west with 110 mph winds from the south. NHC Wallet
2004 August 13th, Hurricane Charley hits direct with 145 mph winds. Very heavy destruction in Charlotte & Desoto counties from wind & storm surge. A rather small but powerfull hurricane with a 6 to 10 mile wide eye, 33 killed with 14 billion in damage. 5 deaths in Charlotte county.Nearly 5 months after landfall nearly 1/3 of hotel room in the area are still not being rented.Surge was less than 7ft on the Gulf & only 1.5 ft in coastal waters. Newspaper headline | Damage photo | Damage photo #2 | Damage photo #3 | Article | Headline #2 | Headline #3 | Headline #4 | Headline #5 | Headline #6 | Forecast track 48 hrs before landfall | Average model error | Satellite image of Charley at landfall | Animated radar image at landfall | Closeup sat image | Wind swath map | Jim Leonard video from Port Charlotte | Ultimate chase video | NHC final report
2017 September 10th Hurricane Irma passes just 18 miles to the east while moving north with 100 mph winds. | UKMET model 2 days out | Power outage photos before & after | Best performing models 5 days before hit | Long range GEFS many days out | Best track data | USGS surge info | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Our live coverage
2022 September 28th Hurricane Ian eye passes over while moving slowly north-northeast with 140 mph winds. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Hit map | Video of mobile homes getting ripped apart | Our coverage as it happened | 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......