Hurricane Gladys (1968)

Gladys crossed western Cuba as a hurricane and came ashore on Florida's west coast near Homosassa, between Bayport and Crystal River, about midnight on October 19, 1968.¹ NHC's best track puts landfall at 0400 UTC on October 19 with 85-knot (98 mph) winds, Category 2, and a 978 mb central pressure.² It crossed the peninsula just south of Ocala and moved back out to sea near St. Augustine.¹

Sustained hurricane-force winds were limited to the west coast from Clearwater to Bayport, and peak gusts were around 100 mph.¹ Tides estimated at up to 6.5 feet eroded beaches and flooded coastal areas.¹ Wind damage was extensive, and mobile homes were hit hardest.¹ Three motorists died while trying to escape the storm.¹ Earlier, an 87 mph gust at Plantation Key was the only hurricane-force wind recorded in the Keys, where damage was minor.¹ Gladys then passed very near Cape Hatteras early on October 20, with tides 2 to 4 feet above normal and minor damage on the Carolina coast.¹