(THANKS TO RABBIT for the assist on dates and names...I've corrected those (second guessed myself on almost every one)...and added some content. Hence, I'll repost on down so the new stuff...ps, I drove an SUV right up to Frances's eyewall in '04---there is more to that story! It was pretty rough. )
FWIW: updated post....
Yes, I think there was a tornado in Dade City from Abby...or was it Gladys??
Hurricane Dora in Jax started me firmly down the weather road. I was in Jax at the time. Actually, it was the '64 season that 'started me'...a season that had only 9 named storms (and one that was post classified), Four of them hit Florida, all were hurricanes (technically, the first unnamed storm was a TS/STS).
Ironically, three of the four affected Jacksonville where I was living. The first storm rushed across from Cedar Key area and caused a 127 mph wind gust just north of where I lived, downing a 1,000 foot plus radio tower. No warnings, not tropical related, anyway.Power was out for almost a week at my house. That was the most INTENSE storm, for a short period of time, I have ever been through. That was in June.
Then in August, Cleo came up the east coast, was a TS at the surface (I remember George Winterling, the TV 4 met (and still is!) saying it was still a hurricane at 1500 feet where the NAVY hurricane hunter was flying). That was an interesting and pleasantly memorable storm on the west side- not so much 'fun' at the beaches. I don't remember the power going out.
Then the big show--Cat 3 Dora hitting St. Augustine in early September. We had hurricane force winds for hours at my house, power was out for at least a week...sat up with my dad listening to the radio...and fell asleep at about the time of landfall. When I woke up, it was still very windy, but definitely less so as the sun rose...
And the last storm to hit Florida that year was Isbell in October...went across SW Fl- Everglades City- and out near Jupiter..a small, Cat 3 storm, 125 mph sustained winds at landfall.
So you see, as others have said, it isn't how active the season is that determines how many landfalls you will have...4 in Florida that year, out of nine (ten) total storms!
The irony is we moved to Jax in late 1963...and the very next year ran into a flock of FLORIDA HURRICANES...while living in Jax! JAX IS NOT IMMUNE> imagine Dora's impact today!
Other significant storms I have been in, either because of where I lived, or I was deployed to them:
Betsy- 65
Alma- 66
Abby-68
Gladys-68
Jenny- 69
(the early 70s were a blur....)
Agnes 72 - I was out of town for this storm, rained a lot where I was up in NC- ironically Jax had the highest winds, even though the storm came ashore far from there.
Dottie- 76- that went right off the coast of Jax---windy, rained a lot
David- 79---near eye wall experience in Volusia County
1982- I think it was...a 'no name' storm sprung up...I think it was in June, rushed across from Sarasota to Daytona...there were NO WARNINGS until the last minute...trees down and power out, 60 mph gusts, in Daytona- first year of The Weather Channel.
1983- Barry- threatened Daytona. I was at the Cape when the storm developed just offshore...it was a beautiful day, but ominous somehow.
Bob- 85- in Pasco (we were on the fringes)
Elena- 85 spent 48 hours in the EOC while this storm hung off the coast and intensified to Cat 3- one Labor Day weekend I'll never forget- Lawton Chiles walked through a sliding glass door at his condo down south, but still helicoptered to us with Bob Graham
Juan- 85-we got the fringes, interesting set up of feeder bands just off the coast for days while it was hundreds of miles away
Kate-85- got the fringes as it was on it's way to the Panhandle in November! First time I ever actually saw 'the end of the rainbow'---nope, no pot of gold.
NOTE: four landfalls or near misses in Fl in '85...the year after I built a new EOC...made believers of 'em, ayup.
Keith- 88---TS in November, I think it was Thanksgiving week...went from Sarasota area to Brevard County--went through the 'eye' (a big calm spot) in Brevard (also , same experience back in Abby in '68)
'Superstorm" - March 93---very rough where I lived in Daytona area, a tornado approached my house, lifted over just as it got there...we huddled in the hallway and WATCHED the barometer needle move down, then up again, almost 1/2" in a matter of seconds!
Gordon- 94-big rainmaker in Volusia, lots of flooding
Erin- 95- a glancing blow, good first run of another EOC
Opal-95- we actually got TS force winds in the Daytona area, with bright sunshine, as the storm moved inland in the Panhandle- amazing
Josephine- 96- tornado struck the community I lived in and ended JUST as it got to my house...a very close call, from a storm hundreds of miles away- the tornado destroyed many homes
Bertha- 96- Big east coast Fl Evac storm, first evac in modern times in Volusia
Georges- 98- close call in Collier---98 mph gusts ay my location- first storm I deployed for, to the Keys-flying on the FEMA Learjet from Marathon the EYW and back...that was fun!
Mitch-98- in the Keys, just a few miles from the Key Largo tornado--out doing SAR and Damage Assessment in the pre-dawn hours (damage assessment in the pre-dawn hours?---don't ask!)
Floyd- 99- in the EOC
Irene-99 -deployed for two months in SE Fl
Barry (2001), Helene (2000), the dinky early century storms..deployed for both, I drove through the center of Helene. Amazing. In Barry ONE HOUSE was destroyed..and was owned by a former Navy Hurricane Hunter..a really interesting fellow..met us at the door with a gun! It worked out ok though...:)
"Leslie" 00-- in M-D County for months for the "2000 floods"- on the second plane to land at the flooded airport...helicopter rides, the whole thing. First time deployed to the M-D EOC.
Gabrielle- 01- will never forget being in the EOC as the Twin Towers fell and being activated for Gabrielle at the same time, and deployed to the DFO in Sarasota.
Barry (2001), Helene (2000), the dinky early century storms..deployed for both, I drove through the center of Helene. Amazing.
And of course, 04 and 05- deployed and activate for them all, in DFOs, JFOs, LTRO's, IMTs, Task Forces, Strike Teams, etc...and of course, in MS for Killer Katrina. I was deployed for 11 out of 13 months during that time.
I am sure I left a few out....just spending a little time in hurricane seasons past...waiting for the next move in '06.
Peace.
MM
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