What could be more Florida-like than a palm or an alligator? Why, a hurricane of course! From Key West to Pensacola and all points in between, these incredible tropical storms contain the destructive energy of several hundred nuclear warheads.

When does the fun begin?
In the United States, the hurricane season officially lasts from June 1st through November 30th. Historically, 90% of all hurricanes tracked within 100 nautical miles of southwest Florida have occurred during the months of September and October. The most powerful recorded hurricane to directly hit the Tampa area was on October 25, 1921, which packed sustained gusts of 100 miles per hour, kicked up a storm surge of 10.5', killed six people, and caused $1,000,000 in damage.

How is a Hurricane Created?
Location, location, location! A large expanse of warm subtropical or tropical seas is exposed to months of intense solar radiation--this is the primary ingredient. Next the monster is fed as the high humidity created by the abundant evaporation of the surface of the ocean is pushed skywards tens of thousands of feet into the earth's atmosphere creating an almost impenetrable column of clouds. These massive clouds then become better defined as the earth's gravitational pull spins them into a counterclockwise motion--this phenomena is known as the Coriolus Force and is easily demonstrated in tornadoes, and in the very direction that water flows down your sink and your bathtub--to reverse this direction you would need to move south of the equator. These massive columns of disturbed and highly-energized clouds begin moving, generally to the west, along the ocean's surface gathering more energy and momentum like a Krell Monster until either a landmass or cold front can slow down or stop this incredible force of nature. Hurricanes typically form in latitudes south of 30 degrees north (Tampa is generally at 28 degrees north), in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico. Generally the most powerful form in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa where their westward migration is virtually unobstructed until they reach the Caribbean, Mexico or southeastern United States.

When Is A Hurricane a Hurricane?
A hurricane becomes a hurricane once a low-pressure area with a strong wind and a sustained wind speed of least 74 miles per hour is sustained. From this point on, if the hurricane gathers strength it is then assigned specific categories denoting the limits of the storm's power. The categorical strength is as noted:

     Category 1-- Winds of 74 to 95 miles per hour.  Damage: minimal.
     Category 2-- Winds of 96 to 110 miles per hour.  Damage: moderate.
     Category 3-- Winds of 111 to 130 miles per hour.  Damage: major.
     Category 4-- Winds of 131 to 155 miles per hour.  Damage: severe.
     Category 5-- Winds above 155 miles per hour.  Damage: catastrophic.

Notable Hurricanes
The most deadly hurricane, and for that matter, the most deadly natural disaster in American history was on September 8, 1900 when hurricane struck Galveston Island, Texas and killed over 6,000 of the city's 37,000 residents. The category 4 storm had sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, had a 15.7' storm surge, entirely destroyed 3,600 buildings, had a barometric pressure of 28.55 inches, and did $20,000,000 in damage.

The costliest hurricane in American history was Hurricane Andrew; another Category 4 storm, which slammed into southern Miami-Dade County on August 27, 1992 with, winds up to 175 miles per hour. In its wake it left six people dead, forced the evacuation of 2,000,000 people, and caused $20,000,000,000 in damage.

The most powerful hurricane to hit the United States was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. This monster plowed through the Florida Keys totally destroying the entire Florida East Coast Rail Road track running the length of the Keys. The wind was so intense that miles of track were blown off the ground and twisted as if placed in a car crusher. This Category 5 storm had sustained winds over 200 miles per hour that were so powerful that when mixed with the beach sands, literally skinned alive unfortunate people not sheltered. It also obliterated every single tree on Matecumbe Key leaving it a literal desert island. It also had the distinction of having the lowest barometric pressure on record in the United States at 26.75 inches. In its aftermath, 423 people were killed, 259 of them were World War I vets helping build the Overseas Highway bridge to Key West, and created $6,000,000.00 in damage.

The next most powerful hurricane to hit the United States was Hurricane Camille, which blasted into Pass Christian, Mississippi on August 17, 1969. This, the second Category 5 hurricane to hit the country had sustained winds of 190 miles per hour and kicked up a storm surge of over 26'! A three story brick apartment building in Pass Christian called the Richelieu was so obliterated by this gargantuan storm that only the concrete floor was left--there was no other evidence left that the building even existed! Unbelievably, numerous elderly Live Oaks survived the front line wind and waves of Camille and persist today.

RICHELIEU APARTMENTS BEFORE AND AFTER HURRICANE CAMILLE, PASS CHRISTIAN, MISSISSIPPI, AUGUST 17, 1969.