 The 1903 Florida hurricane was an Atlantic hurricane that caused extensive wind and flood damage on the Florida peninsula and over the adjourning Southeastern United States in early to mid September 1903 . The third tropical cyclone and third hurricane of the season , this storm was first observed near Mayaguana island in the Bahamas early on September 9 . Moving northwestward , it made landfall in Florida on September 11 and weakened over land , before regaining strength over the Atlantic Ocean . On September 14 , the hurricane made a second landfall in Florida , then a third landfall on September 15 in South Carolina , before dissipating over the Atlantic