The Destruction of Hurricane Florida

Aug. 28, 2023, 5:30 a.m. News

On September 10, 2018, Hurricane Florida made landfall in the Florida Keys as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The storm caused significant damage to the Keys, as well as to the South Florida mainland. Hurricane Florida caused an estimated $25 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in Florida history.

The hurricane first became a tropical depression on September 6th off the coast of Africa. The storm gradually strengthened as it moved westward across the Atlantic, and by September 10th had reached peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. Hurricane warnings were issued for the Florida Keys and parts of the South Florida mainland as the storm approached.

At 5:47 AM EDT on September 10th, the center of Hurricane Florida made landfall on Cudjoe Key in the Florida Keys with sustained winds of 155 mph. The hurricane caused significant damage to the Keys, with large areas of flooding and structural damage. Many homes and businesses were left without power, and some areas were completely cut off from communication.

The storm then moved up the Florida peninsula, making landfall again near Naples at 9:10 AM EDT with sustained winds of 115 mph. The hurricane caused widespread damage across South Florida, with flooding, downed trees, and power outages. Hurricane Florida finally weakened to a tropical storm as it moved into the Florida Panhandle later in the day.

The storm caused significant damage to the Florida Keys, as well as to the South Florida mainland. Hurricane Florida caused an estimated $25 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in Florida history.