Hurricane and Storm Surge in Florida, September 24 to 25, 1998

Name: Hurricane and Storm Surge in Florida, September 24 to 25, 1998
Start: 1998-09-24T20:00
End: 1998-09-25T23:59
Location: Florida

September 24 to 25, 1998 · NWS MFL · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $255 million
Crop damage: $15 million
Events: 5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.

Spiral bands associated with Hurricane Georges moved north over south Florida on the evening of Thursday September 24 1998. The convective activity embedded in the spiral bands was moving to the southwest near 45 knots. Hurricane Georges moved off the coast of central Cuba on the morning of Friday September 25 1998. Georges moved northwest over the Straits of Florida. The eye passed over Key West at mile marker 1 of US-1 between 1100 AM EST and 1230 PM EST. The greastest damage from wind and storm surge flooding occurred in the lower Keys from Cudjoe Key, mile marker 21, to Big Pine Key, mile marker 31. NWS personnel estimated 105-110 knot wind gusts from the south and southeast in this area with sustained winds near 90 knots. As the north side of the eye wall passed over Key West, the highest sustained winds were 58 knots with gusts to 76 knots from the east and northeast. The Key West ASOS lost power at that time. Georges continued to move northwest over the Gulf of Mexico. The southwest coast of Florida experienced widespread beach erosion from the storm surge.

The radar

The Miami radar (KAMX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hurricane (typhoon), 1 waterspout, 1 heavy rain, 1 storm surge/tide. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Monroe

When: September 24, 8:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, 3 mi E of Ocean Reef
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Monroe

When: September 25, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, Countywide
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Key West Airport 8.38 inches...Sugarloaf Key (south side) 8.65 inches...Tavernier 8.38 inches...Dry Tortugas estimated 8.00 inches.

Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Dade

When: September 25, 12:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Dade forecast zone
Property damage: $5.0 million
Crop damage: $15 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

100,000 people evacuated.

Hurricane (Typhoon), Monroe/Lower Keys

When: September 25, 5:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe/Lower Keys forecast zone
Property damage: $250 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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 (SMKF1) southeast 80 gusting to 94 knots at 100 AM est. Key West ASOS (KEYW) 060 degrees 48 gusting to 76 knots at 0842 AM est (no records available after 1000 AM est). Lowest pressure recorded at Dry Tortugas C-MAN974.4 MB at 0500 pm est. Lowest pressure recorded at Key West ASOS (KEYW) until 1000 AM est was 982.5 MB. Approxiately 60,000 people evacuated.

Storm Surge/Tide, Monroe

When: September 25, 12:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, Countywide
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The greatest effects of the storm surge occurred in the early afternoon during and after the eye of Hurricane Georges passed over Key West. Storm surge heights were as follows: Key West to Boca Chica Key 3 to 4 feet, Near Big Coppets Key 4 to 6 feet. Near Sugarloaf Key 3 to 4 feet. Between Cudjoe Key to Big Pine Key 5 to 6 feet. From Bahia Honda Key to Grassy Key 4 to 5 feet. The remainder of the Florida keys experience 2 to 3 feet. The storm surge affected primarially the southside of the islands. Roadways were completely underwaters. Docks, piers and seawalls destroyed. Most of the damage which resulted from Hurricane Georges was caused by the storm surge.

What these are

Waterspout: A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Hurricane (Typhoon): A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or more, filed per forecast zone for its wind, and with separate events for its flooding, surge and tornadoes.
Storm Surge/Tide: Water pushed ashore above the normal tide by a storm’s winds and low pressure.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, September 1998 The 1998 hurricane season

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5672860, 5672863, 5672864, 5672862, 5672861.