In short
- Hurricanes: NOAA logs hurricane events in the Lee coastal zone on 3 dates in 2006 to 2025: Irma (Sept 2017), Ian (Sept 2022) and Milton (Oct 2024).
- Storm days: 16 days with a hurricane, tropical storm, surge or coastal-flood event, in 10 of 20 years; 14 of the 16 fell June to November.
- Surge: 4 surge-or-tide rows on 3 storms (Debby 2012, Elsa 2021, Milton 2024). None records a height.
- Tornadoes: 26 in 13 years: 16 EF0, 6 EF1, 3 EF2, none higher.
- For a wall: after any major storm, have the wall and cap checked.
On this page
If you own a waterfront home with a seawall, Cape Coral hurricane history is the context behind every inspection and repair decision. We counted 20 years of official NOAA storm records for Lee County, the county that contains Cape Coral. We are an independent referral service, not a contractor or engineer.
County, not city: NOAA files coastal storms by forecast zone, and Cape Coral sits inside Lee County. These counts describe the county's coastal zone, not your street or canal, and not a forecast.
The headline numbers
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Storm Events Database, Lee County, Florida, 2006 to 2025. A storm day is one calendar date with at least one qualifying row; several rows on one day count once.
Storm by storm: 11 systems, 2006 to 2025
Storm names below appear in NOAA's episode text for that event; where the text names no storm we say so. The type column is NOAA's event type for the Lee zone, not the strength at your home.
| Date | Storm in the record | NOAA event type |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2008 | Fay | Tropical Storm |
| Jun 25, 2012 | Debby | Storm Surge/Tide |
| Sep 1, 2016 | Hermine | Tropical Storm |
| Oct 6, 2016 | No name in text | Tropical Storm |
| Sep 10, 2017 | Irma | Hurricane |
| Dec 21, 2018 | No storm named | Coastal Flood |
| Nov 9 and 11, 2020 | Eta | Tropical Storm |
| Jul 6-7, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical Storm; Storm Surge/Tide |
| Sep 28, 2022 | Ian | Hurricane |
| Nov 10, 2022 | Nicole | Tropical Depression |
| Aug 30, 2023 | Idalia | Tropical Storm |
| Dec 17, 2023 | No storm named | Coastal Flood |
| Aug 4, 2024 | Debby | Tropical Storm |
| Oct 9, 2024 | Milton | Hurricane; Storm Surge/Tide |
Zones: 2008 and 2012 rows use a single zone called LEE. From 2016 NOAA splits it into COASTAL LEE and INLAND LEE; we used both, and Cape Coral's Gulf-facing location puts it in the coastal one. We count only dates the database lists; hurricanes before 2006 (such as Charley, 2004) are not in this window. Some episode text also mentions earlier storms by name; we matched each date to the storm the text is about.
Coastal-zone storm days, by year
Days with a Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression, Storm Surge/Tide or Coastal Flood row in the Lee zones. Ten years had none; every year from 2020 to 2024 had two.
Storm surge: events logged, heights not
NOAA's Storm Surge/Tide event type shows up for Lee County on three storms. The rows have no surge height, so we give none. Ian's surge was not logged as a separate row; it sits inside the Hurricane row.
| Storm | Date | Surge/Tide rows |
|---|---|---|
| Debby | Jun 25, 2012 | 1 |
| Elsa | Jul 7, 2021 | 1 |
| Milton | Oct 9, 2024 | 2 |
The one number we can cite: the National Hurricane Center's final report on Ian puts peak storm surge at 10 to 15 feet above ground at Fort Myers Beach (NHC Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian). That is a barrier island, not Cape Coral, and water in canals differed. For measured water levels at the nearest gauge, see Cape Coral sea level and high tides.
Coastal-flood rows add two more days: December 21, 2018 and December 17, 2023, with no named storm in the record. These are non-tropical high-water events, the kind where a low yard or a seawall cap sits under water.
When it happens: June to November
Coastal storm days, by month (2006 to 2025)
Hurricane, tropical storm, depression and surge days in June to November: 14 of 16. The two December days are coastal floods, not hurricanes.
County flood reports, by month
The county's 25 flood reports (20 days) cluster in the wet season: 23 of 25 fell June to September. They mix summer downpours and storm rain; the exact cause is not always given.
Tornadoes and wind: smaller, quicker, more frequent
These are county-level rows, so they cover all of Lee County. Hurricane winds are not in them; those sit inside the hurricane rows above.
| Tornado rating | Typical wind | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| EF0 (weak) | 65 to 85 mph | 16 |
| EF1 | 86 to 110 mph | 6 |
| EF2 (strong) | 111 to 135 mph | 3 |
| EF3 or higher | 136 mph and up | 0 |
| Unrated (EFU) | Not rated | 1 |
The 26 tornadoes happened on 21 days in 13 different years. The three EF2s were on January 9, 2016, January 16, 2022 and October 9, 2024 (the Milton date). Months with the most: June (6), January (5) and October (4).
| Thunderstorm gust | Looks like | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Under 58 mph | Reported for damage | 20 |
| 58 to 69 mph | Severe thunderstorm | 39 |
| 70 to 79 mph | Strong, limbs and fences | 1 |
| 80 mph or more | Top of the record | 2 |
62 thunderstorm wind reports on 48 days; 48 are estimated gusts and 14 measured. Knots converted to mph. The top reading was 70 knots, about 81 mph, on January 15, 2016. Other county-level rows: hail 42 reports on 31 days (largest 1.5 inches), lightning 20, heavy rain 12 and flash flood 2.
What it means for a seawall
A record of storms cannot say how your wall is doing. It does say that the area gets repeated tropical systems, flood days and surge events, so a wall's condition after each one is worth a look. General points:
- Inspect after a major storm. Have the wall and cap checked after a hurricane or surge, even if nothing looks wrong from the yard.
- Know the signs. Soil washed out behind the wall, new sinkholes, cracks in the cap, gaps between panels and a wall leaning toward the water. See seawall failure signs in Cape Coral.
- Photograph before work. Date-stamped photos of damage help with insurance questions. Ask your insurer how your policy treats storm damage versus gradual wear; we cannot say.
- Permit first. Replacement and substantial repair generally need a permit. Read our Cape Coral seawall permit guide and confirm with the City.
- Repair or replace. Compare options using our repair versus replacement guide and get itemized quotes.
Choosing who does the work matters most after a storm, when demand rises. See how to choose a seawall contractor for license and insurance checks.
Caveats: read before quoting this page
- A report record, not a measurement. A row exists only if the Weather Service logged it. Quiet years may hold unreported events.
- Reporting changes over time. Zone rows moved from one LEE zone to two in 2016; part of the rise in logged storm days is how NOAA files them.
- Zone, not city. A coastal zone covers many miles; Cape Coral's canals can see more or less water than the zone summary.
- No surge heights. The surge rows are blank, so we show dates only.
- Damage dollars are inconsistent. Many rows leave damage blank or put a county total on one zone row, so we do not total them.
- Twenty years is short. It tells you what was reported, not how often a hurricane will come.
Next step
If your wall has been through these storms and you want it looked at, use the form below. Independent local contractors may contact you with their own quotes.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, bulk detail files for 2006 to 2025, Florida, queried 2026-10-26. Public domain US government data. Rows used: county rows named LEE (thunderstorm wind, hail, tornado, flood, flash flood, heavy rain) and zone rows LEE, COASTAL LEE and INLAND LEE (Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression, Storm Surge/Tide, Coastal Flood).
- Storm names: read from the episode and event text only where a name appears. Script:
tools/feed/ncei-storms-lee.mjs. - NHC Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian (AL092022), for the Fort Myers Beach surge range.
Frequently asked questions
How many hurricanes have hit Cape Coral?
Cape Coral is in Lee County, and NOAA's database is organized by county and forecast zone, not by city. For 2006 to 2025 it has Hurricane events in the Lee coastal zone on three dates: September 10, 2017 (Irma), September 28, 2022 (Ian) and October 9, 2024 (Milton). Earlier storms such as Charley (2004) fall outside the 20 years we counted.
Does the data say how high the storm surge was in Cape Coral?
No. The Lee County surge rows have no recorded height, and we do not estimate one. For Ian, the National Hurricane Center's final report puts peak surge at 10 to 15 feet above ground at Fort Myers Beach, a Gulf island, not Cape Coral. Surge in the canals depends on the location and the day.
Which months are hurricane season for a Cape Coral seawall?
Of the 16 coastal storm days in the record, 14 fell between June and November, the Atlantic hurricane season. The other two were December coastal-flood days. See the seasonality chart on this page.
Should I have my seawall inspected after a hurricane?
It is a sensible step after any major storm or flooding. Look for soil washed out behind the wall, cracks in the cap, gaps between panels and a wall that leans, and call a licensed contractor or engineer if you see them. Our seawall failure signs guide lists what to watch for.
Do I need a permit to repair storm damage to a seawall?
Replacement and substantial repair generally need a permit from the City of Cape Coral, and some work needs state or federal review. Confirm current rules with the City before work starts. Our permit guide gives the general picture.
Why are there so few wind reports in a hurricane-prone county?
The thunderstorm wind rows count storm gust reports, not hurricane winds, and a hurricane is logged as its own event type in a zone. Reporting also depends on someone measuring or surveying. The record shows what was reported, not everything that happened.
Is this a forecast?
No. It is a count of what NOAA's Storm Events Database holds for Lee County from 2006 to 2025. Twenty years is a short window for hurricanes, and the record is not a guide to how often or where the next one will strike.