10 of the most notorious October hurricanes in the Atlantic

Now that autumn is underway and temperatures are beginning to tumble across much of the United States, it may seem counterintuitive to think that heat-fueled hurricanes can continue to thrive across the Atlantic Basin. But, forecasters point out that October is still considered the heart of hurricane season, and the month has historically yielded extremely dangerous and even deadly storms.

"When you think of October, you think of well, football, fall foliage … but October is the third-busiest month of hurricane season that starts in June and ends in November,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. 

Two of the deadliest hurricanes in the Atlantic basin’s history developed in October — and the strongest hurricane to ever churn in the ocean also brewed during the tenth month.

So, what’s behind the tropical activity even as the weather pattern begins to change across the U.S.? AccuWeather meteorologists pinpoint several reasons, including ocean heat content and wind shear, that can contribute to major cyclones developing. Read below to learn about the top ten most notorious October hurricanes.

Hurricane Zeta 2020

Highest winds: 115 mph
Total fatalities: 9 direct, 4 indirect
Formed: Oct. 24, 2020
Dissipated: Oct. 29, 2020

Following two other hurricane landfalls -- Laura and Delta, Hurricane Zeta made landfall on Oct. 28, 2020 in Cocodrie, Louisiana, Category 3 storm. The hurricane moved inland at a record pace, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people all the way to Virginia. Moisture from Zeta contributed to snow in the Northeast United States.

Hurricane Delta 2020

Highest winds: 140 mph
Total fatalities: 2 direct, 4 indirect
Formed: Oct. 4, 2020
Dissipated: Oct. 10, 2020

Delta made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds around 100 mph in Creole, Louisiana, roughly 13 miles east of where Laura barreled inland in August 2020 as a Category 4 storm. Power outages topped out at 800,000 at the peak of the storm as it raged inland, affecting some of the same areas as Laura, and spawning tornadoes in Georgia.

Hurricane Michael 2018

Highest winds: 160 mph
Total fatalities: 31 direct, 43 indirect
Formed: Oct. 7, 2018
Dissipated: Oct. 16, 2018

Extreme wind gusts, torrential rains and a massive storm surge smashed Florida’s Panhandle when deadly Hurricane Michael closed in on the coast, leaving behind catastrophic damage in Mexico Beach and Panama City in October 2018.

The hurricane was initially rated a Category 4 storm with estimated winds of 155 mph when it crashed onshore in Florida. However, after further post-season analysis, scientists at NOAA's National Hurricane Center upgraded Hurricane Michael to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with winds believed to be 160 mph when it made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2018.

Dire warnings were issued to those living in the region ahead of the storm and mandatory evacuations were issued, but not everyone heeded them. Dozens of lives were claimed by the potent storm, which charged up the East Coast after striking Florida and reemerged over the Atlantic.

"It will look like a bomb or a tsunami hit the area," AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers projected before the hurricane made landfall in Florida.

The upgrade from the NHC made Michael the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which was also initially designated as a Category 4 and was later upgraded to a Category 5 upon further review.

It was the fourth ever Category 5 hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. in recorded history. Michael had a minimum central pressure of 27.13 inches of mercury when it made landfall, making it the third-most intense U.S. landfalling hurricane behind Katrina and Andrew.

At least 74 deaths were attributed to the monster storm, including 59 in the United States and 15 in Central America.

Hurricane Matthew 2016

Highest winds: 165 mph
Total fatalities: 603
Formed: Sept. 28, 2016
Dissipated: Oct. 10, 2016

On October 1, 2016, Matthew became the first hurricane to strengthen to Category 5 force in the Atlantic since Felix had reached that strength in 2007.

Hurricane Matthew devastated Haiti when it made landfall in the country as a Category 4 hurricane on Oct. 4. The Haitian government reported that 546 people were killed, while 2.4 million were affected. Another 1.4 million were in need of humanitarian assistance in the wake of the storm.

After pummeling parts of the Caribbean, Matthew set its sights on the United States, where it caused $15 billion in damage. Matthew carved a destructive path along the southeast coast as it churned northward from Florida to North Carolina, dropping over a foot of rain.

Hurricane Matthew made landfall in South Carolina on October 8, 2016. Storm surge and heavy rain combined to create catastrophic flooding, while hurricane-force wind gusts tore roofs of buildings and brought down trees and power lines. The flooding in North Carolina was the worst since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

Superstorm Sandy 2012

Highest winds: 115 mph
Total fatalities: 233 (106 direct)
Formed: Oct. 22, 2012
Dissipated: Nov. 2, 2012

Even though Sandy was not technically a hurricane when it hit, Sandy is a prime example of a monster October storm that caused devastation and years of cleanup for some communities.

The storm, also known as "Superstorm Sandy," unleashed catastrophic storm surge flooding, claimed 159 lives in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. caused in excess of $70 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, according to NOAA.

In 2021, a study concluded that roughly 13%, or $8 billion, of the $62.7 billion in damages across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from the storm can be attributed to rising sea levels from human-caused climate change.

In the United States, Superstorm Sandy affected 24 states, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit New York City on Oct. 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city

Hurricane Wilma in 2005

Highest winds: 183 mph
Total fatalities: 62
Formed: Oct. 16, 2005
Dissipated: Oct. 27, 2005

Perhaps the most notable storm to strike Florida in October was Wilma in 2005, the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. Wilma developed in the Caribbean Sea and eventually rapidly intensified from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 behemoth with winds of 185 mph in just 24 hours. Wilma was blamed for more than 20 fatalities and also is listed as the ninth-costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. history.

Wilma holds the Atlantic record not only for lowest pressure but also for the fastest 24-hour intensification rate on record for an Atlantic hurricane, Colorado State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach previously told AccuWeather.

Wilma eventually slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula before it churned into the Gulf of Mexico where it made a sharp right turn toward the west coast of Florida. Wilma eventually made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Oct. 24 near Cape Romano, Florida.

Wilma eventually made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, tossing hundreds of railroad cars from their tracks and leaving more than 6 million Floridians without electricity.

"Wilma reached its peak intensity over the western Caribbean, which is no surprise, as that area has the most available energy," AccuWeather Senior Meteologist Dave Samuhel said.

"It is also the costliest hurricane in Mexican history," Samuhel said, explaining that the powerful storm remained nearly stationary over Cancun and Cozumel as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Mitch 1998

Highest winds: 180 mph
Total fatalities: 19,325
Formed: Oct. 22, 1998
Dissipated: Nov. 9, 1998

Mitch caused a storm surge of up to 4 feet in the lower Florida Keys before making landfall along the west coast of Florida in October 1998.

According to the National Hurricane Center, tornadoes from the storm damaged or destroyed 645 houses across the state of Florida, in addition to injuring 65 people.

Before arriving in the U.S., the hurricane dropped historic amounts of rainfall in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua due to its slow motion.

"It stalled over Central America and killed nearly 20,000 people," Samuhel said. Mitch is considered the second-deadliest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history.

As a result of the hurricane, roughly 2.7 million people were left homeless. Mitch's flooding caused extreme damage, estimated at over $6 billion in U.S. dollars.

Hurricane Opal in 1995

Highest winds: 150 mph
Total fatalities: 63
Formed: Sept. 27, 1995
Dissipated: Oct. 6, 1995

After barreling toward Florida's coastline as an intense Category 5 storm with winds of 150 mph, it abruptly weakened and hit the western Florida Panhandle near Pensacola as a Category 3 hurricane with 115-mph winds on Oct. 4, 1995.

Opal continued to rapidly weaken after moving inland and was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Alabama, but the storm continued to carve a path of damage along its path.

There were nine fatalities reported in the mainland United States, including one fatality in Crestview, Florida, due to an EF2 tornado that touched down. Hurricane Opal's damage amounted to $5.1 billion in U.S. dollars.

Hurricane Gladys 1968

Highest winds: 85 mph
Total fatalities: 11
Formed: Oct. 13, 1968
Dissipated: Oct. 21, 1954

Cuba's tobacco crop was nearly wiped out by heavy rain and winds from Hurricane Gladys, which made landfall on October 16, 1968. Three days later, Gladys caused damage across the state of Florida, then dropped more than a foot of rain in northeast South Carolina. The Outer Banks of North Carolina were spared a direct landfall, but still had damage from high winds and flooding.

Hurricane Hazel 1954

Highest winds: 140 mph
Total fatalities: 500 - 1,200
Formed: Oct. 5, 1954
Dissipated: Oct. 18, 1954

Dangerous Category 4 storm Hazel made landfall along the North Carolina/South Carolina border on Oct. 15, 1954, as the most intense storm of the season. The coastal area near landfall was battered by winds estimated to have been as high 150 mph. The storm caused a total of $382 million U.S. dollars in damage.

"Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was the only hurricane to hit North Carolina as a Category 4 storm. It was moving quickly, and caused devastating winds from the Carolinas to Canada. Winds gusted over 90 mph in Washington D.C.," Samuhel said.

A gust of 113 mph was reported at Battery Park, a park in New York City that was pummeled by Sandy decades later, but the storm didn't stop there.

"Hazel produced the worst flooding in the history of Toronto," Samuhel said of the storm's journey into Canada.

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