Sarasota County, Florida Hurricane History
Since 1858, 56 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sarasota County, Florida — about one every 3.0 years. Of those, 18 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Milton (2024), which passed 16 miles away on 10 October 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentMilton (2024) — 16 mi away, 10 October 2024
- Strongest stormIan (2022) — 135 kt (155 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1878) — 2.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Milton (2024) — 16.2 miles
- Passes within 25 miles14 of 56
- Peak monthOctober — 19 storms (34% of all)
- Most active year1859 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1940s and 1960s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi6
- Record span1858–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton (2024) | 10 Oct 2024 | 16.2 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Ian (2022) | 28 Sep 2022 | 38.0 mi | Cat 4 | 117 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 11 Sep 2017 | 34.3 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Emily (2017) | 31 Jul 2017 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Barry (2007) | 2 Jun 2007 | 25.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Charley (2004) | 13 Aug 2004 | 30.0 mi | Cat 4 | 125 kt |
| Gabrielle (2001) | 14 Sep 2001 | 3.1 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Marco (1990) | 11 Oct 1990 | 19.0 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Keith (1988) | 23 Nov 1988 | 12.0 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 4 Nov 1987 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1984) | 26 Oct 1984 | 26.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Barry (1983) | 25 Aug 1983 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 17 Nov 1980 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1974) | 25 Jun 1974 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 13 Aug 1971 | 28.1 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Jenny (1969) | 5 Oct 1969 | 48.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1968) | 30 Aug 1968 | 47.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Abby (1968) | 4 Jun 1968 | 26.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1966) | 1 Jul 1966 | 28.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Florence (1960) | 25 Sep 1960 | 36.5 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 11 Sep 1960 | 32.6 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Judith (1959) | 18 Oct 1959 | 36.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Hazel (1953) | 9 Oct 1953 | 38.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| How (1951) | 2 Oct 1951 | 37.1 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 18 Sep 1947 | 45.7 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1946) | 8 Oct 1946 | 20.1 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 16 Sep 1945 | 42.3 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 5 Sep 1945 | 30.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 19 Oct 1944 | 5.0 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 6 Oct 1941 | 24.4 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 3 Sep 1935 | 23.8 mi | Cat 4 | 118 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 31 Jul 1933 | 15.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1930) | 9 Sep 1930 | 25.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 17 Sep 1928 | 47.4 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 13 Aug 1928 | 31.7 mi | TS / TD | 54 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 19 Sep 1926 | 26.9 mi | Cat 3 | 101 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1921) | 16 Oct 1921 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 14 May 1916 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1910) | 18 Oct 1910 | 30.4 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 22 Oct 1906 | 42.6 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 18 Oct 1904 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 12 Sep 1903 | 14.8 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 11 Aug 1901 | 18.5 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 31 Jul 1899 | 40.8 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 2 Aug 1898 | 45.3 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 21 Sep 1897 | 25.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 25 Sep 1894 | 37.4 mi | Cat 1 | 81 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 24 Oct 1892 | 30.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 17 Aug 1888 | 35.7 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 9 Sep 1878 | 2.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1873) | 7 Oct 1873 | 46.5 mi | Cat 3 | 96 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1873) | 23 Sep 1873 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 23 Oct 1872 | 49.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 28 Oct 1859 | 40.1 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 18 Oct 1859 | 38.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 14 Sep 1858 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 1 system passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ana (1991) | Remnant low | 30 Jun 1991 | 13.9 mi | 20 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Sarasota County, Florida more than once.
- Barry — 2 passes (1983, 2007)
How Sarasota County, Florida compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Sarasota County, Florida ranks #145 — more exposed than 93.4% of them. Within Florida it ranks #59 of 67, against a state average of 63.4 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Ian (2022) passed 38 miles away on 28 September 2022 as a hurricane, reaching 135 kt (155 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Charley (2004) passed 30 miles away on 13 August 2004 as a hurricane, reaching 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Unnamed Storm (1935) passed 24 miles away on 3 September 1935 as a hurricane, reaching 127 kt (146 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Milton (2024) passed 16 miles away on 10 October 2024 as a hurricane, reaching 108 kt (124 mph) while within 50 miles.
48 of the 56 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 56 storms spread over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025. 7 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 13 years, between 1859 and 1872. It has been 1 year since the last one; 36 of the 48 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Sarasota County, Florida?
18 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sarasota County, Florida at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 56.
When was the last hurricane in Sarasota County, Florida?
Milton (2024), on 10 October 2024, passing 16 miles away — 2 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Milton (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Sarasota County, Florida?
Ian (2022), which reached 135 kt (155 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 38 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Sarasota County, Florida?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.0 years — 56 storms over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Sarasota County, Florida borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Manatee County, Florida has 63 on record.