Florida Tops U.S. States Hit by Category 3 Hurricanes, as Tropical Storm Erin Poised to Become First Major Storm of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season

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Florida Tops U.S. States Hit by Category 3 Hurricanes, as Tropical Storm Erin Poised to Become First Major Storm of the  2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season

© Hurricane Dean from NOAA (CC BY 2.0) by Wapster

Tropical Storm Erin officially formed in the eastern Atlantic on August 11, 2025, just west of Africa’s Cabo Verde Islands, bringing deadly flash flooding to São Vicente. Erin is currently moving westward at approximately 20–23 mph with sustained winds of 45 mph. Forecasters expect it to intensify into the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season by later this week. It will potentially reach major hurricane strength (Category 3) by the weekend. Most models predict Erin will likely steer north of the Caribbean, though its path remains uncertain. Residents from the northern Leeward Islands to Bermuda and Canada are   encouraged to monitor the storm’s progress.

Areas in Texas are often slammed with hurricanes. Some cities nationwide tend to experience many more hurricanes than others, and some also experience more powerful ones than others. To determine the cities with the most Category 3 and above hurricanes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on historical hurricane tracks from 1842 to 2022 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ranking census places by the number of such hurricanes within their boundaries.

Likely, not surprisingly, 29 of the 50 places on the list are in Florida, though several are part of Miami-Dade County. This is the case with other communities on the list, which tend to be in the same general geographical area. Following Florida, nine of the places on the list are in Texas, eight are in Louisiana, and four are in Mississippi.

This post was updated on August 13, 2025 to include the latest news on Tropical Storm Erin’s development.

Methodology

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Census places were ranked based on the number of Category 3 and above hurricanes – storm events with a maximum wind speed of 111 mph or greater – recorded within their boundaries since 1842. Hurricane tracks and census place boundaries were overlapped spatially using QGIS. Census place boundaries are from the U.S. Census Bureau and are for 2023.

Why Are We Covering This

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Hurricanes are the most damaging natural disasters in the United States, responsible for trillions of dollars in damages and thousands of lives. While destruction is the worst when hurricanes land, they can go far inland or cause considerable damage in their aftermath, such as tropical storms. Knowing an area’s propensity to be in the path of such destructive forces is good.

50. Starks, LA

sentinelhub / Flickr

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1918 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

49. Marco Shores-Hammock Bay, FL

Hurricane Wilma 24L approaching Central America. Hurricane Wilma 24L approaching Central America. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
BEST-BACKGROUNDS / Shutterstock.com
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Wilma 2005 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

48. Big Point, MS

Public Domain via the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Wikimedia Commons

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Frederic 1979 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

47. Hurley, MS

SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Frederic 1979 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

46. Fort Myers Beach, FL

Alexander Westermann / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

45. Iona, FL

Cape Coral on USA map
Alexander Lukatskiy / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

44. Cape Coral, FL

TriggerPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)

43. Goodland, FL

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (123.1 mph max wind speed)

42. Bayview, TX

Bayview. Texas. USA
SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

41. Vinton, LA

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Audrey 1957 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

40. Laguna Vista, TX

Hurricane Beulah | File:Beulah 1967 path.png
Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

39. Port Isabel, TX

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

38. Gulf Breeze, FL

Art Wager / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Dennis 2005 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

37. Medley, FL

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

36. Port Sulphur, LA

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1893 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

35. El Portal, FL

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

34. Cut Off, LA

Bayou Lafourche as it runs through Cut Off, Louisiana.
Mark Paul Hebert / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Betsy 1965 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

33. Galliano, LA

Galliano. Louisiana. USA on a map
SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Betsy 1965 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

32. Southwest Ranches, FL

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

31. Weston, FL

felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

30. Miami Beach, FL

LG Media Group / Shutterstock.com
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

29. Davie, FL

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  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

28. Miami Gardens, FL

Miami Gardens. Florida. USA on a map
SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

27. Miramar, FL

ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

26. Pembroke Pines, FL

felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

25. Hialeah, FL

Juanmonino / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

24. Miami, FL

Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)

23. Empire, LA

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Katrina 2005 (133.5 mph max wind speed)

22. Liverpool, TX

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1900 (138.1 mph max wind speed)

21. Galveston, TX

Eric Overton / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1900 (138.1 mph max wind speed)

20. Los Fresnos, TX

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1880 (139.2 mph max wind speed)

19. Marathon, FL

Paul Briden / Shutterstock.com
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (143.8 mph max wind speed)

18. Coral Gables, FL

felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1926 (143.8 mph max wind speed)

17. Cameron, LA

Ebenap / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph max wind speed)

16. Hackberry, LA

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph max wind speed)

15. Brazoria, TX

Rebecca L. Latson / Moment via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1932 (149.6 mph max wind speed)

14. Leisure City, FL

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

13. South Miami Heights, FL

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

12. Cutler Bay, FL

Shackleford-Photography / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

11. Homestead, FL

felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

10. Diamondhead, MS

photovs / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Camille 1969 (172.6 mph max wind speed)

9. Picayune, MS

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Camille 1969 (172.6 mph max wind speed)

8. Duck Key, FL

  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (184.1 mph max wind speed)

7. Key Largo, FL

alex grichenko / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1926 (126.6 mph max wind speed)

6. Brownsville, TX

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1880 (139.2 mph max wind speed)

5. Alvin, TX

SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1932 (149.6 mph max wind speed)

4. Sanibel, FL

2022 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (157.7 mph max wind speed)

3. Marco Island, FL

benedek / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

2. Princeton, FL

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)

1. Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL

krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images
  • Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 5 storms
  • Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (184.1 mph max wind speed)
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