Tampa, Florida's History with Tropical Systems

Current Weather | Tampa 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)

Tampa most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 21st and September 27th

Years within or near core

1871-2bdbr
1872ts
1873ts
1874br
1878
1879tsbr
1880bdts
1885tsbr
1886
1887ts
1888bdbr
1888bdts
1888br
1889tsbr
1892ts
1894br
1896m
1897tsbr
1898bdtsbr
1899br
1899ts
1901bdtsbr
1902tsbr
1903bdts
1910bdbr
1916bdts
1920tsbr
1921
1925xtropstbr
1926bdbrm
1928bdtsbr
1928tsbr
1928bdm
1929br
1930ts
1932bdtsbr
1933bdts
1933bdtsbr
1935
1936tsbr
1937ts
1939bdts
1941bd
1944
1945br
1945tsbr
1945bd
1946 (HURDAT)
1947ts
1949bdbr
1950m
1950tsbr
1960bdm
1966br
1968tsbr
1968
1974subts
1982subts
1984bdts
1985br
1988ts
1990ts
1995bdts
1998tsbr
2000tsbr
2001ts
2004-2bdts
2007ts
2013tsbr
2016ts
2017ts
2017
2020tsbr
2021ts
2022br
2022bdts
2023brm
2024tsbr
2024mbr
2024

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

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

Easy
Love
Alma
Donna
Alma
Abby
Gladys
Isidore
Keith
Elena
Marco
Erin
Gordon
Mitch
Gabrielle
Frances
Jeanne
Barry
Andrea
Colin
Emily
Irma
Eta
Elsa
Ian
Nicole
Idalia
Debby
Helene
Milton

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 50, 60.98%
H = 32, 39.02%

only 8.54% of all tropical systems affecting Tampa are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1951-1959

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 1.87 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (usually within 40 to 80 subjective miles)

Once every 10.2 years. (15 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 38.25 years. (4 hits)

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

101 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 9th Hurricane Milton at closest approach 110 mph winds just to the south by 31 miles while moving east-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1878 September 10th, 105 mph from the south-southwest just west
1886 July 18th, 80 mph just west from the south-southwest
1896 September 29th, 125 mph winds to the west from the south-southwest. Hit map
1921 October 25th, 115 mph just north Tampa's Tides surged to almost 11 feet above normal when the 'Tarpon Springs' storm slammed ashore. It caused $3 Million in damages, and is blamed for the deaths of at least eight people. Pressure 952 mb. Hit map | NWS Tampa on the 1921 hurricane
1928 September 17th, 115 mph from the east-southeast passes just east
1935 September 4th Labor Day Florida Keys hurricane passes approximately 40 miles to the west of here with 105 mph winds from the south, pressure here reported at entrance to Tampa Bay 28.94 inHg at 11 pm, Tampa reports 86 mph winds.
1941 October 6th, 105 mph to the south from the east-southeast
1944 October 19th, 75 mph from the south-southwest, first weather balloon flown into a hurricane near Tampa Bay gusts here 100 mph just east pressure 28.55. Forecaster Grady Norton forecasted a hit in Tampa 48 hrs earlier.
1945 September 16th, 95 mph just east from the south
1946 October 8th, 85 mph (HURDAT) from the south-southwest passes just west.
1950 Easy hit northwest of Tampa with 125 mph winds September 5th from the west, tides 6.5 ft, Hurricane Easy zig zags near the area going north while just west as a major hurricane, then turning back south passing just northeast of Tampa as a category 1 with 80 mph winds before moving away to the northeast. Closest approach 29 miles to northwest with 125 mph winds when it was major. Hit map
1960 Hurricane Donna September 10th 115 mph coming from the south sustained winds out of north at 70 mph with gusts to 83 mph, pressure 29.11 inHg. Local NWS statement on flooding | More here | NHC Wallet
1968 October 18th Hurricane Gladys comes ashore to the north of here with hurricane force wind field briefly affecting Tampa area with 80 mph winds. Storm surge of roughly 6 ft in the area with 3 deaths reported. NHC Wallet
2017 September 10th Hurricane Irma passes 20 miles to the east while moving north with 90 mph winds. USGS surge info | Long range GEFS many days out | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)
2024 October 9th Hurricane Milton at closest approach 110 mph winds just to the south by 31 miles while moving east-northeast. Hit map | Our coverage from Sarasota 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......