NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West Palm Beach, FL
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
85 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of West Palm Beach, Florida since 1851, 40 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Nicole in 2022. Since 1950, 154 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 40
- Tropical storms
- 45
- Tornadoes
- 154
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
Tropical storms and hurricanes near West Palm Beach
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | NicoleNov 10 | 45 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2022 | AlexJun 4 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 2 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 7 | 58 mi | Category 4 (130 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2008 | FayAug 19 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoAug 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | WilmaOct 24 | 12 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | TammyOct 5 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 25 | 44 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 26 | 33 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | FrancesSep 5 | 32 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1999 | IreneOct 16 | 13 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1999 | HarveySep 21 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | MitchNov 5 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | JerryAug 23 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | ErinAug 2 | 48 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1994 | GordonNov 16 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | BobJul 23 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 27 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 18 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 3 | 13 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | DottieAug 19 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | Unnamed 1974 stormOct 7 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 15 | 10 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 27 | 14 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | FlorenceSep 24 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | JudithOct 18 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | HazelOct 9 | 68 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1953 | Unnamed 1953 stormOct 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | Unnamed 1953 stormJul 12 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 3 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1951 | HowOct 2 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1950 | KingOct 18 | 36 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 27 | 6 mi | Category 4 (130 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormOct 6 | 37 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 22 | 25 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 12 | 30 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 17 | 39 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormNov 1 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 16 | 73 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormAug 11 | 26 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJun 15 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormNov 4 | 53 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormSep 4 | 12 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormJul 30 | 26 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 17 | 3 mi | Category 4 (142 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 8 | 23 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormOct 21 | 74 mi | Category 3 (127 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 18 | 73 mi | Category 4 (133 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormJul 27 | 39 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 1 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormOct 21 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormNov 16 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormAug 25 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 26 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormAug 29 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormJun 28 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 18 | 33 mi | Category 3 (112 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormJun 17 | 45 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormOct 17 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 12 | 36 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormOct 11 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 2 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormOct 9 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 27 | 71 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormJun 11 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1891 | Unnamed 1891 stormOct 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormOct 6 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 23 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 8 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 16 | 54 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 24 | 19 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 22 | 35 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormJul 2 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormOct 20 | 46 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 16 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 25 | 26 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 16 | 19 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1870 | Unnamed 1870 stormOct 21 | 42 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormOct 23 | 4 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 16 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 1 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormOct 17 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West Palm Beach: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of West Palm Beach
By decade
- 2020s13(1 EF3+)
- 2010s24
- 2000s24
- 1990s24
- 1980s19
- 1970s21
- 1960s18
- 1950s11
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF3 | 11 mi | 32.89 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Oct 9, 2024 | EF2 | 21 mi | 65.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 2023 | EF2 | 9 mi | 2.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 27, 2022 | EF2 | 17 mi | 6.98 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Aug 18, 2008 | EF2 | 10 mi | 2.72 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 8, 1983 | F2 | in town | 0.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jan 13, 1979 | F2 | 4 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 22, 1970 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 26, 1970 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 1965 | F2 | 11 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1964 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 22 |
| Oct 14, 1964 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 154, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of West Palm Beach while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.