Effects of Hurricane Irma in Florida
Irma was the first major hurricane to strike the state since Wilma in 2005 and the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Charley in 2004. The storm made landfall in Florida on the same date as Hurricane Donna, the last Category 4 hurricane to strike the Florida Keys. Irma was only the second hurricane to hit Florida since Wilma, the other being Hermine in 2016. Due to few very intense hurricanes since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, there was concern that many Floridians never experienced or did not recall experiencing a hurricane as strong as Irma was projected to be at landfall, with significant growth in population and assets during the previous 25 years.
Timeline of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season
During the year, three tropical depressions, one subtropical storm, two tropical storms, and four hurricanes formed. It produced seven storms, less than the average of ten usually formed throughout an Atlantic hurricane season, while four of the storms went on to become hurricanes. The first cyclone to form inside the official season was Tropical Depression One, which formed on June 25. Of the four hurricanes, Hurricane Andrew was the most intense, reaching Category 5 status. In late June, Tropical Depression One caused severe flooding in southwestern Florida and Cuba; heavy rainfall was recorded in Pinar del Río, Matanzas, and Havana. When Andrew struck Florida and Louisiana in August, it became the second-costliest hurricane to hit the United States. Damages were estimated to be about $26.5 billion and 68 people were killed. Tropical Storm Danielle made landfall at the Delmarva Peninsula on the Virginian coast on September 25, causing minimal flooding. There was one recorded death recorded due to Danielle; a ship east of New Jersey was sunk due to rough seas. The season finished on October 30 when Hurricane Frances became an extratropical gale before dissipating.