The annual six month period that elicits fear across the Sunshine State ends Friday with the final day of hurricane season.
A total of 15 systems became named storms with eight becoming hurricanes - two of those classified as major – during the 2018 season. All those numbers were slightly above the projections earlier in the year by both NOAA and Colorado State University.
2018 season by the numbers:
1 SubTropical Storm
6 Tropical Storms
8 Hurricanes (2 of those were Major Hurricanes, Category 3 or higher)
In total, over $33 billion in damages and 154 deaths were related to all the systems during this year’s season.
The first major hurricane of the year was Florence, which peaked as a Category 4 storm before striking the Carolina as a Category 1 system and causing major flooding issues, leading to almost $18 million in damages and 53 deaths.
The deadliest and most severe storm of the season struck Florida’s panhandle when Hurricane Michael made landfall on October 10th near Mexico Beach. Packing winds of 155 miles per hours – just two miles shy of being classified a Category 5 storm – Michael had the third lowest pressure and fourth strongest winds of any recorded storm.
Related: Photos show Hurricane Michael's destruction
Classified as the strongest system to ever hit the panhandle, a total of 60 people – including 43 in Florida – were killed and over $14 million in damages were caused. Small towns in the area were nearly destroyed and millions were without power for nearly a month.
Story courtesy of our news partner NBC Miami.
