Hurricane Season at the Southernmost Point

Key West sits at the end of a low chain of islands between the Atlantic and the Gulf, in one of the most storm-exposed spots in the country. The Southernmost Point, only feet from the water, takes the brunt when a hurricane comes through. That is a big part of why the city is building a taller seawall there now. Here is what hurricane season means for the island, for visitors, and for what you see on the webcam.

When Is Hurricane Season?

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30. The most active stretch is from mid-August through mid-October, and September is the peak month for the Keys. Most summer and fall days in Key West are simply hot, humid and dotted with afternoon thunderstorms. A direct hit in any given year is unlikely, but the risk is real, and the island plans for it every year.

Storms That Shaped Key West

1846, the Great Havana Hurricane: one of the most destructive storms in the island’s history. It flattened much of the town and destroyed the original Key West Lighthouse, which was rebuilt farther inland in 1848.
1935, the Labor Day Hurricane: the most intense hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States struck the Upper Keys, killing hundreds and wrecking Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad. The railroad was never rebuilt; its bridges became the foundation of the Overseas Highway, which opened in 1938.
1998, Hurricane Georges: passed directly over Key West as a Category 2 storm, damaging homes and houseboats.
2005, Hurricane Wilma: brought a storm surge that flooded a majority of the homes in Key West, one of the worst flooding events in the city’s modern history.
2017, Hurricane Irma: made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles east of Key West. Irma damaged the Southernmost Point Buoy, which was restored and repainted within weeks.
2022, Hurricane Ian: passed west of the Keys on its way to southwest Florida, but its storm surge still flooded low-lying streets in Key West.

What You See on the Webcam During a Storm

When a tropical storm or hurricane approaches, people around the world tune in to Key West webcams to see conditions for themselves. At the Southernmost Point, the signs build gradually: the crowds thin out, the sky turns heavy, and the wind starts driving waves against the seawall and sending spray across the street. In strong storms, water can surge over the wall and into the intersection.

Webcams run on electricity and internet, so the Southernmost Webcam may go offline if power or connectivity is lost during a major storm. If that happens, we bring it back as soon as it is safe and service is restored. The Cam Archive can help you see conditions from earlier in the day.

The new seawall at the Southernmost Point is higher than the old one and faced with riprap to break up incoming waves, so future storms should do less damage to the landmark and the surrounding streets. Follow that project on our construction updates page.

Traveling to Key West During Hurricane Season

Summer and fall can be excellent times to visit, with lower prices and shorter lines. A little planning goes a long way:

Watch the tropics. Check the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) in the week before your trip, and keep an eye on it while you are there.
Know that visitors leave first. Because there is only one road out of the Keys, Monroe County typically orders visitors to evacuate early, well before a storm arrives and before residents are told to leave. If a mandatory visitor evacuation is issued, you will need to go.
Book flexibly. Look for refundable lodging, and consider travel insurance that covers hurricane cancellations. Buy it before a storm is named.
Stay away from the seawall in rough weather. It may be tempting to see the waves in person, but storm surge and debris are dangerous. That is what the webcam is for.

After the Storm

Key West has a long record of bouncing back. After Irma, the freshly repainted buoy became a symbol of the island’s recovery, and visitors were lining up for photos again within weeks. Whatever the season brings, the Southernmost Point will be here, and so will the webcam watching over it.

For month-by-month conditions outside of storms, see Key West weather by month.

Sources: Wikipedia: Key West, WUSF (2017), National Hurricane Center.

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For Keys travel information, please visit PartyInKeyWest.com and The Florida Keys & Key West.