Surprising and destructive November hurricanes

 

Hurricane Nicole, November 2022 (Source: NOAA)

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. September is the busiest month of the season, after which tropical activity falls precipitously as environmental conditions become less favorable. That said, there have been significant November hurricanes worthy of discussion. A “major” hurricane is defined as a Category 3 or greater storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

Nicole (2022): While Nicole wasn’t a major hurricane, it gets a mention here because of its destructive impact in the United States. It was only the third November hurricane to ever make landfall in Florida. Nicole came ashore near Vero Beach on November 10 as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 75 mph. It did approximately $1 billion in damage and caused five fatalities in Florida, according to NOAA. Nicole was also the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Kate in 1985.

Iota (2020): At peak strength in the Caribbean Sea on November 16, Iota nearly reached Category 5 intensity with sustained winds of 155 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 917 millibars (mb). By comparison, standard sea level air pressure is approximately 1013 mb. Iota caused widespread damage in Central America.  

Otto (2016): Otto attained hurricane status in the Caribbean Sea on November 23 and intensified into a major Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph. Otto made landfall in Nicaragua on November 24 at peak intensity. It was the latest major Atlantic hurricane in modern history. The National Hurricane Center tracked Otto as it crossed Central America into the eastern Pacific Ocean where it was also the final named storm of the season. Otto was the first tropical system since 1996 to cross Central America and emerge in the Pacific Ocean.

Kate (1985): Kate reached peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on November 20 with sustained winds of 120 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 953 mb. Kate weakened slightly to a Category 2 storm before making landfall on the Florida Peninsula on November 21. It was the fourth hurricane to impact the U.S. Gulf Coast during the 1985 season. Kate was also the latest landfalling hurricane on record in the contiguous United States.

Cuba Hurricane of 1932: The strongest November hurricane occurred so long ago that it was before hurricanes were named. Consequently, it’s referred to as the “1932 Cuba hurricane” and remains the Atlantic’s only Category 5 November hurricane on record. It reached peak intensity on November 6, 1932, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 175 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 915 mb. This devastating storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Cuba on November 9.