I have been watching and tracking Hurricanes since the 1980’s. We constantly hear about “the big one” or the “Storm of the Century” etc for those of us here in Florida.

First it was Andrew, then Charley, then Wilma, then Irma, Michael and Ian. While Andrew and Michael were stronger storms in terms of winds, they impacted a much smaller area- the same can be argued for Charley though it did cut right up the state. Wilma really only impacted south Florida and the southeastern part of the state where developers have stuffed every possible human being and building on the land between the Atlantic and Everglades is always going to be hard hit by any storm – because southeast Florida is not a sustainable place (although perhaps now Florida in general is not).

To me two storms have really stood out in the history of peninsular Florida – the 1926 (Miami) and 1928 (Okeechobee) storms. In my mind Irma and Ian were the only two modern storms comparable in size and scope to those two Hurricanes (both cut through the state and displaced tens of thousands though Irma was the deadlier and more extensive event), the former which ushered in the Great Depression and the later which is one the deadliest natural disasters in US History.

Helene given its size and scope might be the most impactful since at least 1960 (Donna) and perhaps ever as a statewide event.

A storm that made landfall in the Big Bend and whose center was never within 50 miles of Gulf Coast south of Homossasa had HUGE impacts from Key West north along the Gulf…and even from Key Largo north along the Atlantic Coast.

As noted above at one point the entire state east of the Apalachicola River from Apalachicola to Key West was in Tropical Storm force winds. Historically since records have been kept (1873) this has NEVER happened.

What happened on the peninsula with that weather?

Storm surge was so bad the Tampa Bay area that every bridge was closed and water swarmed areas right on the bay. Lee County, so ravaged by Ian faced an unexpectedly high storm surge that made causeways impassable. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, not slated for closures or delays due to the storm experienced a 65 MPH wind gust and several others over 50 MPH. Opa-Locka Airport in Miami-Dade County recorded a 73 mile per hour wind gust at a time the center of the storm was THREE HUNDRED TWENTY MILES AWAY.

Tornadic activity was a constant threat in Sarasota County, around Lake Okeechobee, In Volusia County and most points in-between.

Roads were flooded and closed in Sarasota and Charlotte counties near the coast – storm surge was so extensive Tamiami Trail from Palmetto south until beyond Fort Myers was undrivable after about 4pm.

This and so much more from a storm that never made a landfall on the peninsula.

We will have so much more on Helene, particularly impacts on Tallahassee and the Big Bend soon.