Notorious October hurricanes

 

Hurricane Michael at landfall, October 2018 (Source: WUSA9/NOAA)

October is the third most active month of the six-month Atlantic hurricane season, behind only August and September. The frequency and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes often decreases as we get deeper into October. That’s not to say there haven’t been intense and high impact October hurricanes in the Atlantic, with Milton being the most recent.

Zeta (2020):  Zeta reached peak intensity on October 28 as a major Category 3 hurricane when it made landfall in Louisiana. Its highest sustained winds were 115 mph with a minimum central air pressure of 970 millibars (mb). Although Zeta quickly weakened after its landfall, it remains noteworthy for being the latest in the season a major hurricane made landfall in the contiguous United States. Zeta caused $5.1 billion in U.S. damages (2023 dollars), according to NOAA, along with five fatalities.

Michael (2018):  Hurricane Michael became only the fourth Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States and first since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Michael reached peak intensity when it made landfall along the Florida panhandle with sustained winds of 160 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 919 millibars (mb). That part of Florida had seen several Category 3 hurricanes, but never a Category 4 or 5 storm. Michael caused $30.2 billion in U.S. damages (2023 dollars) and claimed 16 lives during the storm, according to NOAA.

Wilma (2005) – Fortunately, Wilma weakened significantly from its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane before it reached southwest Florida as a Category 3 storm on October 24. Wilma was noteworthy for being the last hurricane to make landfall anywhere in Florida until Hermine in 2016. It produced $29.3 billion in damages (2023), placing it among the Top 15 costliest U.S. hurricanes. 

Opal (1995):  Opal was one of five major hurricanes to form during the very active 1995 season. It was the strongest hurricane of the season with peak winds of 150 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 916 millibars. Fortunately, it weakened to Category 3 intensity before making landfall near Pensacola, Florida on October 4. Opal brought a significant storm surge to the U.S. Gulf Coast, with additional impacts far inland. The D.C. Metro Area saw severe weather from the remnants of Opal on October 5.