1948 - Two hurricanes landed in Florida again, and both hit the Keys. The first one arrived at Key West on September 21st, with winds recorded at 122 mph at Boca Chica airport. There were gusts of up to 160 mph, and the water level rose about six feet because of the storm surge.

The Florida Keys have a long and storied history of hurricane strikes due to their exposed position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. One of the most catastrophic events was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which remains the strongest hurricane on record to hit the United States, making landfall in the Middle Keys with winds estimated at 185 mph. This Category 5 storm caused massive devastation and hundreds of fatalities. Other significant impacts include Hurricane Donna in 1960, which caused widespread damage as a Category 4 storm, and Hurricane Irma in 2017, which brought a massive storm surge and severe structural damage to the Lower Keys. Because the islands are barely above sea level, they are particularly vulnerable to storm surges and high winds, making them one of the most hurricane-prone regions in the country. Residents and local authorities maintain rigorous evacuation and building codes to mitigate the frequent threats posed by tropical systems.