Hurricanes in Sint Maarten
Hurricanes only occur occasionally in Saint Martin. On average, they happen about 4 times a year. The hardest hit cities are Philipsburg and Cul de Sac.The hurricane season usually lasts from early June to late November.
The most severe hurricane to make landfall in Saint Martin in the past 12 months was »Earl«. It reached a wind speed of up to 83 km/h on September 3, 2022 at 2:00 pm local time near Cul de Sac and was 37 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm hurricane. On the open sea, speeds of up to 167 km/h were measured (category 2).
› The most severe cyclones in the world
Back to overview: Saint Martin
Current satellite image of the North Atlantic
04.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent hurricanes in Sint Maarten since 2018
Nicole: November 6-11, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On November 6th, 2022 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 300 km northeast of Cul de Sac.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hatillo in Puerto Rico on November 6th at 8:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hatillo in Puerto Rico on November 6th at 8:00 am.
Nicole: November 5-11, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On November 6th, 2022 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 300 km northeast of Cul de Sac.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Pole Ojea in Puerto Rico on November 5th at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Pole Ojea in Puerto Rico on November 5th at 8:00 pm.
Lisa: October 27 to November 5, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Ian: September 22 to October 1, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 259 km/h
Diameter:
max. 845 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On September 22nd, 2022 at 11:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 599 km southeast of Philipsburg.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Rincón in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 11:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Rincón in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 11:00 pm.
Ian: September 19 to October 2, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Fiona: September 14-27, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 222 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1241 km
Air pressure:
below 931 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On September 17th, 2022 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 87 km southeast of Philipsburg.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Fiona: September 12-24, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 932 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On September 17th, 2022 at 11:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 139 km south of Philipsburg.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Earl: September 2-15, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1308 km
Air pressure:
below 948 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Earl: August 27 to September 10, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 167 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 954 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Sam: September 22 to October 7, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 2222 km
Air pressure:
below 927 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On September 30th, 2021 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 346 km northwest of Philipsburg.
Peter: September 19-22, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 1005 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Grace: August 13-21, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 194 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 967 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Fred: August 9-20, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Philipsburg
Elsa: June 30 to July 10, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On July 2nd, 2021 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 254 km southeast of Philipsburg.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Sainte-Luce in Martinique on July 2nd at 11:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Sainte-Luce in Martinique on July 2nd at 11:00 am.
Laura: August 20-29, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 741 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Josephine: August 10-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 1004 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Isaias: July 28 to August 5, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 148 km/h
on land:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Most Affected Cities
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Philipsburg
Cul de Sac
Dorian: August 24 to September 5, 2019
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 296 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 910 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in Sint Maarten. On August 28th, 2019 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 109 km southeast of Philipsburg.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Crane in Barbados on August 26th at 9:30 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Crane in Barbados on August 26th at 9:30 pm.
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
The most severe earthquakes in the world
Debts an budget deficits in Germany
Climate and temperature development in the Netherlands