Category 5 Atlantic Hurricanes List

Category 5 Atlantic Hurricanes Overview:

The list of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes is composed of 35 tropical depressions that reached Category 5 strength on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale within the Atlantic Ocean (north of the equator), Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico from 1924 to 2012. Hurricanes of such intensity are quite rare in the Atlantic basin, occurring on average once every three years. In general, Category 5 hurricanes form in clusters in years that contain more storm energy. Landfalls by such storms are rare due to the typical northeastward path of tropical storms in the Northern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes. This is caused by the westerlies, winds blowing from west to east, which redirect hurricanes toward colder waters in the higher latitudes of western Europe. However, large-scale easterly surface winds in the tropics may steer strong hurricanes into the Caribbean Sea toward land areas. Only six times (1932, 1933, 1960, 1961, 2005, 2007) have multiple Category 5 hurricanes formed in the same year. 2005 is the only time more than two Category 5 storms formed, and 2007 is the only time more than one made landfall as a Category 5.

This map to the right marks the tracks of all known Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes between 1851 and 2012. A Category 5 hurricane has sustained winds greater than 136 knots (157 mph; 252 km/h). “Sustained winds” refers to the average wind speed observed over one minute at 10 meters (32 ft 9.7 in) above ground, which is the standard height wind speed is measured as to avoid interference by obstacles and obstructions. Brief gusts in hurricanes are typically up to 50% higher than sustained winds. Because a hurricane is a moving system, winds are asymmetric, with the strongest winds on the right side (in the Northern Hemisphere), relative to the direction of motion.

Category 5 Atlantic Hurricanes Statistics:

Officially, the decade with the most Category 5 hurricanes is 2000–2009, with eight Category 5 hurricanes having occurred: Isabel (2003), Ivan (2004), Emily (2005), Katrina (2005), Rita (2005), Wilma (2005), Dean (2007), and Felix (2007). The previous decades with the most Category 5 hurricanes were the 1930s and 1960s, with six occurring between 1930 and 1939 (before naming began): “Bahamas” (1932), “Cuba” (1932), “Cuba-Brownsville” (1933), “Tampico” (1933), “Labor Day” (1935), and “New England” (1938); and again between 1960 and 1969: Donna (1960), Ethel (1960), Carla (1961), Hattie (1961), Beulah (1967), and Camille (1969). Six Atlantic hurricanes (Allen, Andrew, Isabel, Ivan, Dean and Felix) have reached Category 5 intensity on more than one occasion. However, no Atlantic hurricane has reached Category 5 intensity more than three times, as Allen, Isabel and Ivan each reached that intensity on three separate occasions. Andrew, Dean and Felix are the only other storms to have reached Category 5 on multiple occasions, each doing it twice. The November 1932 Cuba hurricane holds the record for most time spent as a Category 5 (although it took place before weather satellites or reconnaissance aircraft so the record may be inaccurate).

Category 5 Atlantic Hurricanes Timeline:

Year	Name	Time as Cat 5
1924	“Cuba”	12 hours
1928	San Felipe II-“Okeechobee”	12 hours
1932	“Bahamas”	24 hours
1932	“Cuba”	78 hours
1933	“Cuba–Brownsville”	12 hours
1933	“Tampico”	12 hours
1935	“Labor Day”	18 hours
1938	“New England”	18 hours
1947	“Fort Lauderdale”	30 hours
1950	Dog	60 hours
1951	Easy	18 hours
1955	Janet	18 hours
1958	Cleo	6 hours
1960	Donna	12 hours
1960	Ethel	6 hours
1961	Carla	18 hours
1961	Hattie	18 hours
1967	Beulah	18 hours
1969	Camille	18 hours
1971	Edith	6 hours
1977	Anita	12 hours
1979	David	42 hours
1980	Allen	72 hours
1988	Gilbert	24 hours
1989	Hugo	6 hours
1992	Andrew	16 hours
1998	Mitch	42 hours
2003	Isabel	42 hours
2004	Ivan	60 hours
2005	Emily	6 hours
2005	Katrina	18 hours
2005	Rita	24 hours
2005	Wilma	18 hours
2007	Dean	24 hours
2007	Felix	24 hours