Hurricane Safety and Preparedness

Hurricane Milton Becomes The 10th Major Hurricane To Strike The Gulf Coast Since 2017

At a Glance

Hurricane Milton made landfall along the Florida coast as a Category 3.
The Gulf Coast is experiencing storm fatigue as Milton becomes the 10th major storm to strike since Harvey.
These storms have been costly and deadly. Totaling more than $450 billion and taking nearly 550 lives.

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The Gulf Coast is experiencing hurricane fatigue and rightfully so. Hurricane Milton made landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast as a major hurricane. It is not only the second major hurricane in less than two weeks to strike Florida, but the 10th major hurricane to strike the Gulf Coast since 2017.

"All years between 2017-2024 have been classified as above normal or hyperactive Atlantic hurricane seasons with the exception of 2022," said Phil Klotzbach, meteorologist at Colorado State University. Adding, "If the Atlantic is busy, that tends to increase odds of U.S. landfall as a whole, as well as the Gulf specifically."

Major hurricanes are Category 3 or stronger on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. In general, the stronger the hurricane, the more likely it is to produce destructive winds and storm surge.

The destructive stretch of majors began with Harvey in 2017: The landfall of Harvey in Texas was followed by Irma in Florida that same year. After that came Michael in 2018, Laura and Zeta in 2020, Ida in 2021 and Ian in 2022. Idalia struck Florida last year as a Category 3 storm, then Helene and now Milton in 2024.

Klotzbach explains that many of these storms have formed in the Caribbean and then tracked into the Gulf. He says the reason behind this may be a combination between an extremely warm Caribbean and our climate has leaned more towards La Niña.

"A warmer Caribbean also helps reduce shear and provides even more fuel for storms than the normal rocket fuel that is the Caribbean." said Klotzbach.

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It's been a costly, deadly decade: The eight major hurricane landfalls prior to Helene and Milton on the Gulf Coast since 2017 caused a combined more than $450 billion in damage (CPI adjusted), according to NOAA. There have been nearly 550 lives lost because of direct and indirect impacts from those hurricanes.

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The major hurricane streak came on the heels of a hurricane drought: Prior to Harvey, the U.S. went through a roughly 12-year period without a Category 3 or stronger landfall. Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 was the last one until Harvey came along in 2017.

That said, hurricanes below the Category 3 wind threshold did cause major damage in that time. Hurricane Ike in 2008 was a large Category 2 at landfall in Texas, where it produced catastrophic storm surge.

Here's how often hurricanes and major hurricanes strike the U.S.: On average one to two hurricanes usually make landfall each year in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by NOAA.

Major hurricane landfalls in the U.S. are less common, on average.

Before this busy stretch began, the U.S. averaged two major hurricanes every three years making landfall somewhere along the Gulf or Atlantic coasts for the period from 1851 to 2010, according to NOAA.

"It's really hard to say if this trend towards more Gulf landfalling hurricanes/major hurricanes is going to continue," said Klotzbach. "As long as the Atlantic stays active, however, it does load the dice towards more active U.S. landfalling hurricane seasons."