Hurricane

Intensity

Owing to their intensity, the strongest Atlantic hurricanes have all attained Category 5 classification. Hurricane Opal, the strongest Category 4 hurricane recorded, reached a minimum pressure of 916 hPa (27.05 inHg), a pressure typical of Category 5 hurricanes. Hurricane Wilma became the strongest Atlantic hurricane recorded after reaching an intensity of 882 mbar (26.05 inHg) in October 2005. Preceding Wilma is Hurricane Gilbert, which held the record for the most intense Atlantic hurricane for 17 years. The 1935 Labor Day hurricane, tied with Melissa, with a pressure of 892 mbar (hPa; 26.34 inHg), is the third strongest Atlantic hurricane and the strongest documented tropical cyclone before 1950. Since the measurements taken during Wilma and Gilbert were documented using dropsonde, this pressure remains the lowest measured over land.