Steinhatchee, Florida's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Steinhatchee hurricanes 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)

Steinhatchee most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 31st and September 6th

Years within or near core

1871bdtsbr
1871bdts
1871br
1871ts
1973br
1874br
1878br
1878tsbr
1879ts
1880bd
1880ts
1882
1885tsbr
1885-2ts
1886
1886br
1888bdts
1888m
1893ts
1894br
1896m
1898bdtsbr
1899br
1900ts
1902ts
1907ts
1909bdts
1920tsbr
1924-2ts
1926bdts
1928tsbr
1928bdbr
1932ts
1933bdts
1935
1937ts
1939bdbr
1941br
1941ts
1944bdtsbr
1945br
1945bdtsbr
1949bd
1950m
1950ts
1953ts
1964
1966br
1976sts
1985
1985brm
1995tsbr
1995bdts
1996ts
1998br
2000ts
2004tsbr
2004-2bdts
2006ts
2008bdts
2012ts
2013ts
2016ts
2016br
2017bdts
2018mbr
2019tsbr
2020ts
2021ts
2022bdtsbr
2022bdts
2023m
2024
2024m
2024br

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

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

Easy
Love
Dora
Alma
Elena
Kate
Allison
Erin
Josephine
Earl
Gordon
Bonnie
Frances
Jeanne
Alberto
Fay
Debbie
Andrea
Colin
Hermine
Irma
Michael
Nestor
Eta
Elsa
Ian
Nicole
Idalia
Debby
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 48, 61.54%
H = 30, 38.46%

only 8.97% of all tropical systems affecting Steinhatchee are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

10 years 1954-1963

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.96 years

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

Once every 11.77 years. (13 hits) State stats

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

Once every 38.25 years. (4 hits)

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

100 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 southeast by 143 miles with 95 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1880 back door hurricane regains hurricane strength on August 30th with 80 mph winds moving west-northwest while 33 miles south of here.
1882 October 11th 80 mph from the south-southwest passes directly over.
1886 June 21st 100 mph moving north 34 miles to west.
1888 a hurricane kills 9 in the area October 10th with 110 mph winds (HURDAT2) 34 miles to south.
1896, 115 mph (HURDAT2) September 29th 10ft storm surge 100 killed, moving northeast at 46 mph. Tremendous destruction occurred in a 50 mile wide swath from Cedar Key to Savannah. Damage photo | Hit map
1935 September 4th (labor day keys hurricane)3 killed in area heavy coastal damage winds of 90 mph worst flooding since 1896
1949 August 27th 75 mph just east from the south (HURDAT2)
1950 EASY September 5th approaches then turns south, a storm surge of 5.1 ft at low tide 38 inches of rain area flooded for several weeks, 120 mph winds (HURDAT2) 2/3rds of homes destroyed pressure 28.30 many cars had strange spots on them as a result researches found low barometeric pressure caused air pockets under the paint which later dissapeared. Weather map | Hit map
1964 September 10th, Hurricane Dora approaches from the east coast passes just north by 24 miles with 85 mph winds. NHC Wallet
1985 August 31st, Hurricane Elena with 110 mph winds passes by to the west by 55 miles while looping in the Gulf causing some coastal flooding here. Hurricane force wind field affected area for several hours before turning away. Cedar Key at 3:30 pm CDT on August 31st had sustained winds of 45 mph, peak gust 60 mph, south wind. Cedar Key had over the road debris of 8+ feet at Route 24 bridge. Newspaper article #1 | Newspaper article #2 | Damage survey
2023 August 30th Hurricane Idalia hits while passing 14 miles to the northwest at closest approach with 120 mph winds (HURDAT2) 954 mb while moving north-northeast. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Hit map | Our coverage: Full video 21min | NHC report
2024 August 5th Hurricane Debby eye passes over 979 mb with 80 mph winds. Our coverage | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | NHC report
2024 September 26th major Hurricane Helene hits just north with 140 mph winds while moving north-northeast. Peak storm surge inundation levels of 12 to 16 feet above ground level (AGL) occurred from just west of Keaton Beach to south of Steinhatchee. 14 lives lost in Florida due to storm surge and 4 from wind (per NHC report). NHC report | Our coverage from Tallahassee

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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......