Stuart, 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)

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

Years within or near core

1871m
1871
1873bd
1876tsbr
1876bd
1878br
1885
1888brm
1888ts
1889bdts
1891bdts
1893m
1893brm
1896bdts
1897bdtsbr
1899brm
1903br
1904tsbr
1906br
1909ts
1909tsbr
1924bdtsbr
1925xtropstbdbr
1926
1926-2brm
1928
1928m
1933
1933m
1934bdts
1939
1945m
1946ts
1947m
1947bdbr
1948bd
1949m
1950
1951bdts
1953bdts
1956ts (HURDAT)
1960brm
1960bdts (HURDAT)
1964
1964bdm
1968bdts
1974subts
1976ts
1979
1984ts
1985bdts
1988bdtsbr
1994bdts
1995br
1995ts
1998bdts
1999
2004
2004m
2005bd
2008tsbd
2016brm
2017br
2019br
2020tsbr
2022bdbr
2022
2024mbr
2024bdbr

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

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

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

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 28, 40%
H = 42, 60%

24.29% of all tropical systems affecting Stuart are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

14 years 1910-1923

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.19 years

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

Once every 5.88 years. (26 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 17 years. (9 hits)

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

103 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 10th Hurricane Milton brushes 74 miles to the north at closest approach with 90 mph winds while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1871 August 16th 115 mph from the east, developed East of Bahamas. Hit map
1871 August 24th a 105 mph hurricane comes ashore just north while moving west-northwest
1873 October 7th, 95 mph from the southwest passes just north
1876 October 20th 90 mph winds from the south-southwest
1878 October 22nd 80 mph just offshore moving north
1885 August 24th, 80 mph from the south just east
1893 August 27th, 120 mph just off shore from the southeast. Hit map
1926 July 27th, 95 mph from the southeast
1928 August 8th a cat one hits from the southeast with 95 mph winds
1928 September 17th 130 mph winds from the east-southeast. Newspaper article#1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | What happened?
1933 July 30th 80 mph from the east
1933 a hurricane from east-southeast September 4th, 125 mph heavy damage 75% of roofs blown off population only 5,100 at the time 2 killed citrus loss nearly complete.
1939 August 11th a cat one from the east-southeast 80 mph.
1945 September 16th, 125 mph winds to the west from the southeast
1947 September 17th, 130 mph to the south from the east
1948, September 22nd 85 mph from the southwest
1949 August 26th, 145 mph from the east-southeast unofficial gust to 160 mph many homes destroyed, 52 million in damage here 2 killed, Jenson Beach causeway completely wiped out. Newspaper headline
1950 October 18th Hurricane King hits 30 miles to the west from the south-southeast with 85 mph winds causing heavy beach erosion here. Track
1964 August 27th Hurricane Cleo passes just west with 90 mph winds with reports of calm eye passage. Indiantown reports gusts to 115 pressure 29.38. NHC Wallet
1964 Hurricane Isbell hits from the southwest with 120 mph winds October 14th after hitting the west coast from the south-southwest. NHC Wallet
1979 September 3rd Hurricane David 95 mph hitsjust east from the south pressure 28.71 5 ft tides, minor damage. Radar loop
1999 October 16th Hurricane Irene 75 mph from the south-southwest, pressure 29.12 moving north-northeast @ 10 mph dumps very heavy rain & many trees knocked down. Newspaper article
2004 September 5th, Hurricane Frances hits with 105 mph winds from the east-southeast. Many trees down, signs damaged power out for days a very large (50 mile wide eye) & slow moving hurricane (less than 5 mph at times during landfall).Martin memorial medical center suffered heavy water damage.County's mosquito control hangars were destroyed.Pinewood elementary school roof damaged.Approx 3 million cubic yards of trees & limbs lost.1 death in Martin County. Jim Leonard in Jupiter FL | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Newspaper headline | Landfall map | Models 5 days out | USGS surge info
2004 September 26th, Hurricane Jeanne hits with 120 mph winds from the east. Many trees down power outages for days. Second hurricane hit in 22 days. Some roofs blown off homes, many mobile homes damaged. School officials reported that schools suffered more severe damage during Hurricane Jeanne than Hurricane Frances. There are 6 school cafeterias with significant roof damage.St. Lucie County International Airport has experienced severe damage. Access to both North and South Hutchinson islands has been cut by damage to bridges and I-95 southbound is closed near the Okeechobee Boulevard by a truck entangled in power lines. The Coast Guard has confirmed damage to the bridge railing where a car was seen going into the Indian River Lagoon Saturday. 3 killed in Florida as a direct result of Jeanne, with 6.9 Billion in damage in the U.S.. Models 4 days before hitting | Side by side radar of Frances & Jeanne | Jeanne wind swath map | Jeanne page | HurricaneCity live broadcast at landfall | USGS surge info
2005, October 24th Hurricane Wilma hits just south from the southwest with 105 mph winds while moving quickly northeast. Damage was extensive but not as bad as areas to south. Moderate roof damage to many buildings, signs down & many trees toppled. Unofficial gust 108 mph. Radar animation Wilma approaching from southwest (courtesy of hometownweather.com) | Radar animation Wilma leaving east coast (courtesy of hometownweather.com) | Hurricane warning show
2022 November 10th Hurricane Nicole passes just north by 13 miles with 75 mph winds while moving west-northwest. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | 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......