Category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin: Interesting statistics

This page provides some basic, but very interesting statistics about category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin since 1851.  Category 5 storms are extremely rare.  In fact, for the Atlantic Basin (including the Gulf of Mexico and Carribbean Sea) only 34* category 5 storms (~4% of all hurricanes) are found in the historical record.  In the 165 years since records began (1851), there have only been six years that contained two or more category 5 storms; the most in one season was four in 2005 (Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma). 

Hurricane Milton Becomes The 5th Strongest Hurricane On Record In The Atlantic Basin

1. Wilma 882Mb
2. Gilbert 888Mb
3. Labor Day 892Mb
4. Rita 895Mb
5. Milton 897Mb

Time since the last category 5
Hurricane Lorenzo on September 29, 2019
Real-time Count As of Today:
5 years, 1 month and 24 days

Note: The count begins with, and includes, the day after the last category 5 dissipated, ending with and including the day before the next category 5 developed.

The longest periods without a category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin:

• #1: 15 Years (1939-1953)
• #2:  9 Years (2008-2016) Discussed in the next section below

2016: Hurricane Matthew Becomes First Category 5 in over 9 Years

On the evening of Friday, September 30, 2016, following a period of rapid intensification over the Caribbean, Hurricane Matthew was upgraded to category 5 status — the first category 5 in the Atlantic basin in over 9 years (since Hurricane Felix in 2007). 

Prior to Hurricane Matthew’s upgrade, the duration without a category 5 stood at: 9 years and 26 days -or- 3314 days.  This was the SECOND longest period on record.

Atlantic Basin Category 5 Storms: Quick Stats

• Category 5 storms are extremely rare
• Only 4% of hurricanes reach category 5 status (based on historical data 1851 through 2016)*
• Only 34 category 5 hurricanes are found in the historical record (1851 to present = 173 years)* 
• There have only been six years with two or more category 5 storms (1932, 1933, 1960, 1961, 2005, 2007)
• The most in a single season was four in 2005 (Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma)
• The majority of category 5 hurricanes have occurred in September (20 storms = 57%)*
• No category 5 storms have been recorded during the months of December through June

*Stats Updated: 10/1/16 to include Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Felix, September 3, 2007

Category 5 Hurricanes that “Hit” the U.S.

Note: These storms were category 5 when they made landfall. There have certainly been other storms that were category 5 but weakened just before making landfall. An example is Hurricane Katrina which was a category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico, but weakened to category 3 strength prior to landfall.

• Only 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the United States as a category 5
• Hurricanes that were category 5 at the time of landfall in the United States:
  1. “Labor Day” storm in 1935 (Florida Keys)
  2. “Beulah” in 1967 (S. TX)
  3. “Camille” in 1969 (SE Louisiana)
  4. “Andrew” in 1992 (S. FL)
  5. “Michael” in 2018 (FL Panhandle)

Map showing the four hurricanes that made landfall in the United States as a category 5. White line segments show the portion of the storms’ track at category 5.

Monthly Distribution of Category 5 Hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin

Note: Technically there have been 34 category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. However, the monthly distribution below adds up to 35 because Hurricane Matthew was upgraded to category 5 at 11 pm EDT on September 30 and was a category 5 into October; therefore, Matthew is counted twice. In the historical record, Hurricane Matthew is the only hurricane that straddles two months as a category 5.

• July: 1 (3%)
• August: 8 (23%)
• September: 20 (57%) Updated: 10/1/16 to include Hurricane Matthew
• October: 5 (14%) Updated: 10/1/16 to include Hurricane Matthew
• November: 1 (3%)

 

 

List of Category 5 Hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin

Note: For best viewing on a mobile device, view horizontally.

Click here for description of column headers

Data pulled from the HURDAT database.

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Atlantic Basin Category 5 Hurricane Tracks Since 1851

Category 5 Hurricanes 1851 to 2014.