Naples, Florida Hurricane History: Every Hurricane Since 1851

The 32 hurricanes came in 28 different seasons. The median wait from one hurricane season to the next was 4 years; the longest, 26 years, ran from 1966 to 1992. 4 seasons brought two or more: 1935 (unnamed, September and unnamed, November), 1947 (unnamed, September and unnamed, October), 1950 (Easy and King) and 2005 (Katrina and Wilma). In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025) 6 passed within 75 miles of Naples at hurricane strength, against 2 in the 30 before (1966–1995) and 6.3 per 30 seasons from 1851 to 1965, when ships and coastal stations missed more storms.

14 came in October, 12 came in September and 4 came in August. The earliest in the season was Alma, on June 9; the latest, the unnamed storm of November 1935, on November 5.

15 of the 32 passed with Naples on their right-hand side, where wind and surge are usually strongest, and 12 with the city on the left; 5 passed within 5 miles of the city centre. The strongest right-side pass was the Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, a Category 5 hurricane 15 miles southwest of Naples. The strongest at their closest point: the Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (Category 5, 158 mph, 15 miles away), Charley (2004, Category 4, 147 mph, 38 miles away) and Ian (2022, Category 4, 146 mph, 45 miles away).

Of the 5 cities compared here, Naples has the most hurricane passes within 75 miles (32) and Punta Gorda the fewest (28); Naples ranks first. Punta Gorda, 55 miles north, shares the fewest: 20 of its 28 hurricanes also passed within 75 miles of Naples at hurricane strength.