Florida's Hurricane History

The Sunshine State has an exceptionally stormy past. Vulnerable to storms that arise in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, Florida has been hit by far more hurricanes than any other state. In this book, Jay Barnes offers a fascinating and informative look at Florida's hurricane history. Drawing on meteorological research, news reports, first-person accounts, maps, and historical photographs, he traces all of the notable hurricanes that have affected the state over the last four-and-a-half centuries, from the great storms that swept away settlements and sank ships during the early colonial period to the devastating Hurricanes Andrew (1992) and Opal (1995).

In addition to providing a comprehensive chronology of more than one hundred individual storms, Florida's Hurricane History includes information on the basics of hurricane dynamics, formation, naming, and forecasting. Filled with more than 200 photographs, maps, and illustrations, the book also features a foreword by Neil Frank, longtime director of the National Hurricane Center. It will serve as both an essential reference on hurricanes in Florida and a remarkable source of the stories—of tragedy and destruction, rescue and survival—that foster our fascination with these powerful storms.