Late Season Tropical Storms

"Sandy" approaching the New Jersey coast, October 2012  (Source: NOAA)

Although the Atlantic hurricane season runs until November 30, the tropics see markedly less activity after October 15.  Only one major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) has impacted the United States on or after October 25 and that was the Category 3 Tampa Bay hurricane that made landfall on October 25, 1921.  Other significant systems have made landfall in the United States between October 15 and 31.

Sandy (2012):  Sandy was the strongest hurricane of the 2012 season, peaking as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph.  It tracked north after its landfall in Cuba at peak intensity.  Eventually, it made a northwesterly turn and made landfall as a weaker storm in New Jersey.  It caused extensive coastal flooding and had significant impacts that reached well inland.  Sandy also set a number of rainfall and low pressure records. 

Shortly before its landfall in New Jersey, it was determined that Sandy was no longer a tropical system.  In other words, it had lost its tropical characteristics over cooler ocean waters and was considered a non-tropical or “post-tropical” storm.  Consequently, all the hurricane watches and warnings were discontinued.  That led to a lot of confusion since many people thought the storm was no longer dangerous.  As a result of this controversy, it was determined that in the future hurricane watches and warnings should remain in effect even after a given storm becomes a non-tropical system.

Wilma (2005): - Before impacting the United States, Wilma became the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum central air pressure of 882 millibars.  Its sustained winds also reached 185 mph, making it a Category 5 hurricane.  Fortunately, Wilma weakened significantly before it reached SW Florida where it made landfall October 24 as a Category 3 storm.  Wilma was also significant for being the last hurricane to make landfall anywhere in Florida until Hermine in 2016.

Hazel (1954): – Hazel remains the only Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in North Carolina (on October 15).  Due to Hazel’s fast rate of speed, it remained a powerful system well inland and brought Washington, D.C. its highest wind gust on record (98 mph).  It’s also worth noting that while North Carolina feels the impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes fairly often, no major hurricane (Category 3+) has made landfall there since Fran in 1996.

King (1950): King made landfall in Miami at approximately 1:00 AM on October 18.  It had sustained winds of 130 mph that made it a Category 4 hurricane.  It weakened rapidly as it tracked over Florida but, nevertheless, caused a lot of damage.  Florida was a relatively rural state at this time, so damage wasn’t what it would have been had a similar storm made landfall in recent times.