Tallahassee’s Hurricane History…Helene Could Be One For the Record Books

Tallahassee has never had a direct impact by a major hurricane. It the NHC track is correct, the eye could pass right over the city tonight with winds of near 110 mph with gusts to 130 mph. This one could go down in the record books. We hope not.

Right now the center is a little east of the official track, but the last few Hurricane Hunter observations hint that the northward turn may be commencing.

Unnamed Hurricane of 1843
Date: September 13, 1843
Summary: A devastating hurricane struck the Gulf Coast, obliterating the town of Port Leon, Florida. The storm surge and powerful winds swept away almost every structure in the town, leaving it completely uninhabitable. This catastrophic event led to the abandonment of Port Leon, which was never rebuilt. The hurricane also caused severe damage to nearby areas, including St. Marks and Tallahassee, where flooding and fallen trees blocked roads and disrupted communications. The destruction was so complete that survivors relocated to the nearby town of Newport, marking the end of Port Leon as a viable settlement.

Unnamed Tropical Storm of 1939
Date: August 13, 1939
Summary: This unnamed storm crossed Florida’s peninsula as a tropical storm and strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane in the Gulf before making landfall near Carrabelle. Although property damage in the Panhandle was minor, Tallahassee felt the impact when the storm’s winds uprooted many of the iconic palm trees along North Adams Street, planted in 1921 as part of a promenade to the Governor’s Mansion. The storm also caused scattered power outages and one fatality when rough seas capsized a boat at Cedar Key.

Hurricane Alma
Date: June 9, 1966
Summary: Hurricane Alma accelerated as it swerved away from the southwestern Florida coast, making landfall near Apalachee Bay in the Florida Panhandle with 90 mph winds. This marked the earliest U.S. mainland hurricane landfall in over 140 years. Though its winds weakened significantly before reaching Tallahassee, the storm still brought heavy rain and minor wind damage to the area.

Hurricane Eloise
Date: September 23, 1975
Summary: Hurricane Eloise made landfall between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, marking the first hurricane to strike that area in the 20th century. The storm brought a massive storm surge of up to 16 feet, with a high water mark of 18.2 feet recorded at Dune Allen Beach. While Eloise caused over $100 million in damage and resulted in 21 deaths across the United States, none of the fatalities occurred in Florida. In Tallahassee, the impact was much milder, with the Weather Service Office recording sustained winds of 35 mph and a peak gust of 48 mph, resulting in minimal damage compared to the devastation along the coast.

Hurricane Kate
Date: November 21, 1985
Summary: Hurricane Kate brought significant disruption to Tallahassee, causing widespread power outages and downing thousands of trees. Although the city did not experience the storm’s full force, Kate’s strong winds and heavy rain left 90% of residents without electricity for days. The damage to infrastructure and extensive cleanup took months, making it one of the most disruptive hurricanes in the city’s history. The storm’s impact on Tallahassee, combined with the devastation along the coast, made Kate a landmark event for the region.

Tropical Storm Allison
Date: June 11-12, 2001
Summary: Allison did not hit Tallahassee directly but brought record rainfall of 10.14 inches over the 11th and 12th. The 24 hour total is the highest in the city’s history. It led to severe flooding and the tragic death of an FSU student.

Hurricane Hermine
Date: September 2, 2016
Summary: Hurricane Hermine made landfall near the Wakulla-Jefferson county line as a Category 1 storm, delivering a direct hit to Tallahassee overnight. It toppled over 800 trees and damaged more than 700 homes, leaving 100,000 city and Talquin Electric customers without power. The slow pace of repairs and power restoration fueled public frustration and political tension between then-Governor Rick Scott and Mayor Andrew Gillum. Hermine’s impact, combined with the controversy it sparked, marked it as one of the most significant and politicized storms to strike the capital city.

Hurricane Irma
Date: September 10-11, 2017
Summary: Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic, made its way up the Florida peninsula, bringing significant impacts to the Big Bend region, including Tallahassee. Though it had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reached the area, Irma’s extensive wind field caused widespread tree and power line damage. Thousands of homes were without electricity, and numerous roads were blocked by fallen trees. In Tallahassee, trees fell on cars and homes, causing considerable property damage. Two indirect deaths occurred in nearby Taylor County due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator. Across the region, power outages affected millions of people, highlighting the storm’s far-reaching impact even as it weakened.

Hurricane Michael
Date: October 10, 2018
Summary: Hurricane Michael, one of the most powerful storms to strike the Florida Panhandle, narrowly missed making a direct hit on Tallahassee but still left a lasting impact. The storm’s fierce winds battered the city for 12 hours, with gusts up to 71 mph, knocking out power to 97% of residents and entangling tree trunks in power lines across the city. Nearly a million cubic yards of debris blocked over 1,000 roads, hampering recovery efforts. More than 650 utility workers from 15 states joined local crews to restore power, achieving nearly complete restoration within a week. Lessons learned from prior storms like Hermine and Irma led to a more coordinated and efficient response, earning Tallahassee and Leon County recognition as the nation’s first “Hurricane Strong Community.” Despite the challenges, the swift recovery efforts highlighted the community’s resilience and improved preparedness for future storms.

Hurricane Debby
Date: August 5, 2024
Summary: Hurricane Debby caused minor damage in Tallahassee, with downed trees and power lines leaving over 35,000 homes without electricity. Power was restored quickly to most areas, and the city saw minimal impact compared to more affected regions like Steinhatchee and Perry. Local officials urged residents to remain vigilant for future storms despite Debby’s relatively mild impact.

May Tornadoes
An intense squall line on May 10, 2024, brought widespread damage to the tri-state region of Southeast Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the Tallahassee area, spawning at least five tornadoes, including several in Leon County and the Tallahassee area. The tornadoes caused severe damage to trees, homes, and utility structures, surpassing the combined impact of Hurricanes Hermine, Michael, and Idalia in some metrics. Two of the tornadoes merged within Tallahassee, amplifying the destruction, but fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported.

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