4 October Hurricane Records For The Record Books | Weather.com
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These 4 Storms Broke Some Of The Biggest Hurricane Records In October, Not September

While September is typically peak hurricane season, four of the biggest hurricane records were set in October.

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September is the typical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, when we usually see the most activity. But that doesn't mean we can discount October, as some of the most historic storms have occurred in this month.

Check out these four all-time hurricane records that were set in October, not September:

1. Hurricane Wilma (2005)

On Oct. 19, 2005, Wilma set the record for the most intense Atlantic hurricane in terms of surface pressure, at 882 millibars while over the western Caribbean Sea. For reference, the average pressure at sea level is about 1013 mb.

Wilma also set a record for the smallest eye size on record, only 2.3 miles wide. Most hurricane eyes are approximately 20 to 40 miles wide, according to NOAA.

image
Hurricane Wilma and its tiny eye at its peak intensity are seen in this infrared satellite image taken on Oct. 19, 2005.
(NOAA)

2. Hurricane Patricia (2015)

Hurricane Patricia broke the record for the most intense hurricane in the Western Hemisphere in terms of both wind and pressure. It reached maximum sustained winds of 215 mph while off the coast of southwest Mexico in October 2015.

In addition, Patricia’s minimum central pressure reached 872 mb, just 2 mb shy of the global low-pressure record. NOAA Hurricane Hunter crews experienced extreme updrafts and downdrafts, and at the level they were flying, winds were estimated to be around 220 mph.

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Patricia weakened before landfall, but still caused an estimated $325 million in damage, causing severe flooding in the mountains of southern Mexico.

Radar imagery from Hurricane Patricia as it was nearing maximum intensity. From NOAA 43/NOAA P-3 aircraft.
(Lt Adam Abitbol, P-3 Pilot, NOAA/AOC)

3. Hurricane Sandy (2012)

Hurricane Sandy broke the record for the largest Atlantic hurricane based on the extent of its tropical-storm-force wind field. Its winds of 39 to 73 mph were about 1,000 miles in diameter at its maximum when the storm approached landfall on Oct. 29, 2012.

Although Sandy weakened to a post-tropical cyclone by the time it made landfall in New Jersey, its large size still drove wide-reaching impacts of storm surge, strong winds and heavy precipitation.

Satellite view of Sandy as it moved northward off the East Coast on Oct. 28, 2012.
(NOAA)

4. Typhoon Tip (1979)

Typhoon Tip broke the world record for tropical cyclone central surface pressure and size. The minimum central pressure was measured at 870 mb — that’s 2 mb lower (stronger) than Hurricane Patricia and 12 mb lower than Hurricane Wilma.

Tip was also the largest tropical cyclone on record, with a circulation pattern about 1,380 miles wide. Its size could blanket much of the western U.S.

It was located over the open Pacific Ocean at peak intensity and made landfall in southern Japan, bringing heavy rainfall that triggered flooding and mudslides.

Infrared satellite of Super Typhoon Tip on Oct. 12, 1979.
(NOAA (location labels added))

Miriam Guthrie graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and is now a meteorology intern with weather.com while working toward her master’s.

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