Article On Vulnerable FL Counties

[Blown Away]

http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... eather0201

[boca]

Its a good article,but it was published in Oct of 2006.

[Blown Away]

Its a good article,but it was published in Oct of 2006.

I know, I was just bored.

[MiamiensisWx]

Only three tropical cyclones (1926, 1928, and Andrew 1992) in recorded TC climatology have struck the mainland of southern Florida with a central pressure below 940 mb. That's certainly an interesting statistic, since it would suggest that the most intense landfalls are rare even in the region that has received the most TC strikes during 1851-2007. 1935 and Donna struck the offshore FL Keys, and Donna was ~940 (?) at landfall on Naples. Only two tropical cyclones have struck southern FL with sustained winds greater than 130 kt (Andrew and 1935).

[MiamiensisWx]

Here is a compilation of the strongest landfalls in southern FL.

1. #2, 1935 - 892 mb/160 kt (FL Keys)*
2. Andrew 1992 - 922 mb/145 kt (mainland)
3. #2, 1919 - 927 mb/130 kt (FL Keys)**
4. #4, 1928 - 929 mb/125 kt (mainland)*
5. Donna 1960 - 930 mb/115 kt (FL Keys)
6. #6, 1926 - 933 mb/125 kt (mainland)*
7. #4, 1947 - 940 mb/115 kt (mainland)
8. #3, 1888 - 945 mb/110 kt (mainland)

*Preliminary HRD reanalysis
**Officially revised intensity in HURDAT

Additional intense strikes include #9 (1945), #12 (1933), #2 (1949), and King 1950, all of which were Category 3 hurricanes at landfall on southern FL. Their central pressures were not below 945 mb at landfall. This suggests that a TC with a central pressure below ~940 mb is relatively uncommon for this region and other portions of the state. The only tropical cyclones in FL (three) to make landfall with an estimated central pressure below 940 mb have occurred in southern FL. Tropical cyclones with pressures of 945-960 mb are much more frequent in terms of statewide climatological averages.

The greatest number of intense tropical cyclones (<950 mb at landfall) have affected MS/LA, FL, and TX. A secondary cluster is likely found in NC.

[MiamiensisWx]

Here's a personal county breakdown of the most intense TC strikes in FL from 1851 to 2007.

940-950 mb at landfall

NW FL (Escambia-Wakulla): 5
W FL (Jefferson-Monroe mainland): 3
E FL (Monroe Keys-Nassau): 8

Statewide total: 14

<940 mb at landfall

NW FL (Escambia-Wakulla): 0
W FL (Jefferson-Monroe mainland): 0
E FL (Monroe Keys-Nassau): 6

Statewide total: 6