Overview: Elsa was the earliest 5th named storm on record as of the end of the 2021 hurricane season. Areas along the west coast of Florida experienced as much as 2 to 3 feet of storm surge, and 6 to 10 inches of rain fell across portions of southwest Florida.

As of February 2026, the last hurricane to significantly impact Florida during the month of July was Hurricane Elsa in 2021 (though it was briefly a hurricane near the Florida Keys before weakening to a tropical storm at landfall). Historically, July hurricanes in Florida are rare because the peak of the Atlantic season doesn't typically arrive until August and September. Other notable July storms include Hurricane Dennis (2005), a powerful Category 4 that struck the Panhandle, and Hurricane Emily (2005), which passed just south. For 2026 travelers, it is important to remember that while July is part of the hurricane season, Florida's weather during this month is more often characterized by intense daily humidity and afternoon thunderstorms rather than full-scale hurricanes, though monitoring the National Hurricane Center is always a "best practice" for summer visitors.