Tropical development happens closer to the U.S. in October

The peak of the 2025 hurricane season was nearly three weeks ago, and the tropics have responded, with three hurricanes — Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda in just that time period. Two of those hurricanes even achieved Category 5 status, with winds of 155+ mph.

With two more months left in the typical hurricane season, how does the month of October play out with storms? 

While activity decreases slightly in October, the month sees most of the storm formations closer to the U.S., particularly in the Gulf, Southeast Coast and Caribbean. These are locations where water temperatures remain well above the 79° threshold. 

Most systems track toward the northeast, with it likely that many stay off the eastern coastlines. However, there have been landfalling systems in past October months.

Milton

Milton was one for the record books, even before ever making landfall. While it formed in the Bay of Campeche on Oct. 5, it quickly intensified into a hurricane. It underwent rapid intensification in the Gulf, going from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds of 180 mph in less than 24 hours. It ties Hurricane Rita for the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever.

It made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., as a Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 120 mph. Prior to landfall on Oct. 7, the outer rainbands spawned tornadoes in central and southern Florida. 126 tornado warnings were issued in Florida, the second most tornado warnings ever issued in one day, and the most ever in Florida or from a tropical system. 

Parts of Hillsborough County saw flooding from hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton last year. Hillsborough County is hosting several meetings to gather information from residents and businesses about the flood impact of those storms. (Spectrum News)

As Milton moved inland, heavy rain created a flash flood emergency north of the center of circulation, including the cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater. St. Petersburg – Albert Whitted Airport reported 18.54 inches of rain from Milton. 

Michael

Michael first became a tropical storm on Oct. 7 and quickly intensified into a hurricane a day later. It then became a major hurricane on Oct. 9 as it moved through the warm waters of the Gulf.

Michael made landfall near Panama City, Fla. on Oct. 10 as a Category 5 hurricane, making it the third-strongest landfalling hurricane in the U.S. on record and the strongest storm to strike the Florida Panhandle. 

(Spectrum News)

It destroyed many houses in the Florida Panhandle, and storm surge flooded the coast. Farms suffered, leading to a loss in cattle and crops, and Michael caused $4.7 billion in damage to the Tyndall Air Force Base. As Michael weakened, it moved further into the southeast, bringing wind damage and flooding to Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.

It total, we saw $25 billion in damage from Michael, and around 60 deaths.

Matthew

Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was one of the deadliest storms ever to strike the Atlantic, causing a humanitarian crisis in Haiti. It intensified into a hurricane on Sept. 29 before exploding into a Category 5 storm 24 hours later., the first Category 5 hurricane since Hurricane Felix in 2007.

Matthew made landfall in Haiti as a strong Category 4 storm on Oct. 4 and then in Cuba on Oct. 5.

Propane tanks sit in floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew in Lumberton, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. People were ordered to evacuate, and officials warned that some communities could be cut off by washed out roads or bridge closures. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Forecasts took it close to the Florida and Georgia coastlines as a Category 3, but the center of the storm did not make landfall. The western side and the inner eyewall remained just offshore. Matthew weakened to a Category 2 hurricane late on Oct. 7 and then to a Category 1 hurricane by Oct. 8.

It made landfall near McClellanville, S.C., making it the first hurricane to make landfall north of Florida in October since Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

Sandy

Developing in the Caribbean Sea on Oct. 22, Sandy made two landfalls before heading toward the U.S., one in Jamaica and one in eastern Cuba.

It continued through the Atlantic, parallel to the East Coast, and made a northwest turn, slamming into the Northeast. Even though winds were only at 80 mph at landfall in New Jersey, Sandy was a large storm that brought intense flooding.

Many cities in New Jersey flooded, and authorities had to evacuate towns. Sandy also flooded seven subway tunnels in NYC, the biggest disaster to happen to the subway system since it was built in the early 1900s.

In West Virginia, rain turned to 3 feet of snow for some areas, leading to downed trees and hundreds of thousands of power outages.

FILE – In this Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 file photo, an ambulance is stuck in over a foot of snow off of Highway 33 West near Belington, W.Va. Superstorm Sandy was the first time the National Hurricane Center ever listed snow or blizzard in its warnings. Three feet of snow fell in West Virginia. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

Overall, Sandy became one of the deadliest cyclones to hit the Northeast, killing 160 people, and the fifth costliest storm in recorded history with $65 billion in damage.

Wilma

2005 had numerous notable storms, and one of those storms was Hurricane Wilma. Wilma developed on Oct. 17 in the Caribbean Sea, and intensified quickly into a Category 5 hurricane before weakening to a Category 4 before its first landfall on Cozumel, Mexico.

Wilma had the lowest pressure ever recorded in a hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, going from 982 millibars to 882 millibars in just 24 hours. It then moved northeast, making its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane at Cape Romano in southwestern Florida.

Over 3 million people lost power, including 98% of Miami’s metro area, and Wilma destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes and cars in southern Florida. Water from the storm surge submerged 60% of Key West, leaving many homes uninhabitable.

Homeowners cover their roofs in blue tarps to cover damage cause by Hurricane Wilma in Broward County, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005. Frustration mounted on the third day of recovery from Hurricane Wilma, with the scramble for gas, ice, food and water causing long lines and traffic snarls, which prompted renewed criticism of storm planning and response. Miami-Dade County’s mayor called the relief effort “flawed.” (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Wilma caused $19 billion in damage and killed 30 people.  

After Wilma, a major hurricane didn’t strike the U.S. until Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and a hurricane did not strike Florida until Hurricane Hermine in 2016.

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