Hurricane Sigma

Hurricane Sigma was a destructive Category 5 hurricane that caused destruction in the Americas in very late December 2018 and early to mid-January 2019. In all, 12,013 people were killed, along with $616.4 billion (2018 USD) in damages.

On December 27, a tropical wave emerged off of Senegal, quickly becoming a depression. Undergoing record explosive intensification, the depression went from 30 mph winds to Category 5 Hurricane Sigma with 195 mph winds in just under 31 hours.

Impacting Panama and Costa Rica, 6,783 were killed before another 2,805 were killed in El Salvador, causing $130 billion in damages in those countries. Sigma briefly weakened to a Category 4, before strengthening into a Category 5 with 200 mph winds.

Impacting Cuba, Havana suffered heavy winds and devastating flooding, causing another $80 billion in damages. Emerging as a Category 5 with 160 mph winds, Sigma intensified even further, impacting Tampa and St. Petersburg at it's peak, 205 mph winds and a barometric pressure reading of 865 mbar.

Causing $165 billion in damages in the Tampa Bay Area, Orlando was hit, causing severe damage to the Amway Center, and severely damaging Daytona International Speedway, causing another $3.4 billion in damages.

Impacting Jacksonville, catastrophic damage occurred, causing another $191 billion in damages. In the state of Florida, 2,387 were killed. Making a second landfall in South Carolina on the 11th, Sigma caused another 38 deaths and $47 billion in damages before becoming a remnants low on the 13th.

Sigma dissipated over the Appalachian Mountains after killing 12,013 and causing a then record $616.4 billion in damages, beating out the stronger Category 5 Hurricane Tony by $158.4 billion. Since then, Hurricane Paul of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season has caused more economic losses than Sigma, with a record $859 billion in damages done by Paul. In addition, Hurricane Kevin of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season caused $875 billion in economic losses, beating out both Sigma and Paul in economic losses.