Key West

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Flood insurance figures are for Monroe County, the county that contains Key West.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Monroe County, the county that contains Key West.

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for 19 gauges here but lists no crests for them.

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

High tide flooding

Tide gauges in Monroe County.

Other tide gauges here: Vaca Key, Florida Bay (record 2 days, 2025).

1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

The drought index is for Monroe County, the county that contains Key West.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Tsunamis

Tsunami records for Monroe County.

1. Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.

NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Sep 25, 1998Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Lower Keys$250 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Countywide 1780 homes were damaged. About 900 of these were destroyed. Aproximately 700 of these were mobile homes. 75 of the homes were houseboats. Widespread damage to trees and vegitation. Powerlines were down primarially in the lower half of the Florida Keys. Extensive damage to the fishing industry with nearly a total loss of lobster traps. Widespread damage or loss of a variety of watercraft. Some significant winds:from Marathon Monroe county EOC southeast gust to 96 knots at unknown time. Marathon Airport ASOS (KMTH) east northeast at 58 knots at 0600 AM est (no records available after 0600 AM). Duck Key southeast70 gusting to 84 knots at unknown time. Sombrero Key C-MAN…

2. Oct 23, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Lower Keys$33.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The center of Hurricane Wilma moved northeast from the vicinity of Dry Tortugas northeast through 65 miles northwest of Key West during the night of October 23 to 24, 2005. Hurricane Wilma resulted in at least 2 injuries and at least $33 million in damages to Monroe County. Over the Lower Keys from 7 Mile Bridge through Key West, maximum winds were measured at 62 knots with gusts to 72 knots before instrumentation failed at the Key West International Airport. Peak wind gusts to 107 knots at Cudjoe Key and 116 knots and Dry Tortugas National Park were recorded by spotters and park personnel. Overall...average winds across the inhabited Lower Keys were estimated at 80 to 90 mph with…

3. Oct 23, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Middle Keys$33.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The center of Hurricane Wilma moved northeast from the vicinity of Dry Tortugas northeast through 65 miles northwest of Key West during the night of October 23 to 24, 2005. Hurricane Wilma resulted in at least 2 injuries and at least $33 million in damages to Monroe County. Over the Middle Keys from 7 Mile Bridge through Craig Key, maximum winds were measured at 76 knots with gusts to 91 knots at Sombrero Key Light. Overall...average winds across the inhabited Middle Keys were estimated at 80 to 90 mph with gusts up to 110 mph with general Category 1 Saffir Simpson Damage noted. Rainfall across the Middle Keys was fairly light but typical for a fast-moving hurricane, 2.39 inches…

4. Oct 23, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Upper Keys$33.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The center of Hurricane Wilma moved northeast from the vicinity of Dry Tortugas northeast through 65 miles northwest of Key West during the night of October 23 to 24, 2005. Hurricane Wilma resulted in at least 2 injuries and at least $33 million in damages to Monroe County. Over the Upperr Keys from Craig Key to Ocean Reef, maximum winds were measured at 65 knots with gusts to 79 knots. At Molasses Reef C-MAN station. Overall...average winds across the inhabited Lower Keys were estimated at 70 to 80 mph with gusts up to 90 mph with general Category 1 Saffir Simpson Damage noted. Rainfall across the Lower Keys was fairly light but typical for a fast-moving hurricane, 1.50 inches…

5. Nov 4, 1998Tornado$25.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A multivortex tornado touched down just west of U.S. 1 near mile marker 100. The tornado moved north northeast at 30 mph passing across ten housing subdivision, mostly mobile home parks. It damaged about 600 structures, tore down utility lines, damaged vessels and destroyed a great deal of foliage. The tornado crossed to the east of U.S. 1 near the intersection of Highway 905, overturning a semi tractor trailer, and continue north northeast for about six miles damaging house roofs and foliage.

6. Feb 2, 1998Tornado$20.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Tornado moved from south across Grassy Key near MM 56.5.

7. Sep 9, 2008Tropical Storm, Monroe/Middle Keys$13.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Ike passed well southwest of the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico. However, Ike's large wind field produced tropical storm force winds during September 9-10, 2008. Storm total rainfall was highest in the Monroe County Middle Keys at Marathon Airport, where 2.47 inches was recorded. The highest sustained wind of 44 knots with gusts to 55 knots was recorded at Long Key. The lowest sea-level pressure of 1005.4 mb was recorded at Marathon Airport. Coastal storm tides measured at up to 1.1 feet above sea level at Vaca Key, equating to about one foot of storm surge. No fatalities or injuries were reported in the Lower Keys of Monroe County. Mandatory evacuations for…

8. Sep 9, 2008Tropical Storm, Monroe/Lower Keys$12.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Ike passed well southwest of the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico. However, Ike's large wind field produced tropical storm force winds during September 9-10, 2008. Storm total rainfall was highest in the Monroe County Lower Keys at Key West International Airport, where 2.31 inches was recorded. The highest sustained wind of 45 knots with gusts to 52 knots was recorded at Key West International Airport. A peak gust of 57 knots was recorded at the NWS office in Key West. The lowest sea-level pressure of 1004.4 mb was recorded at Key West International Airport. Coastal storm tides measured at up to 2.2 feet above sea level at Key West Harbor, equating to about 1.2…

9. Oct 14, 1999Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Lower Keys$9.3 million
10. Jul 8, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Middle Keys$6.8 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Dennis passed within 75 miles southwest of Key West as a category 2 hurricane. Over the Monroe County Lower Keys, maximum winds were sustained at 53 knots (61 mph) with gusts to 64 knots (74 mph) at Key West and 51 knots (59 mph) gusting to 68 knots (78 mph) at Sand Key. Unofficial wind gusts to 93 knots (107 mph) were reported at Cudjoe Key. Maximum storm tides were estimated to 4.5 feet above mean sea level on the Atlantic shore of Key West near the International Airport. One fatality occurred aboard a vessel moored at Stock Island due to drowning. No injuries were reported. Property damage estimated at $6.8M due to wind damage mainly to roofing, electrical equipment,…

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

96°F2 times, most recently Aug 15, 2024

All-time low

41°FJan 13, 1981

Warmest night

88°FAug 9, 2023

Coldest day

52°F2 times, most recently Jan 10, 2010

Wettest day

22.75 inNov 11, 1980

Hottest year

2023mean 80.6°F

Coldest year

2010mean 76.0°F

Wettest year

196962.92 in

Driest year

197419.99 in

Station Key West International Airport (USW00012836), 1 ft elevation, 1.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Declarations for Monroe County.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00012836.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.