The storm that defied the graveyard of the eastern Caribbean

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The eastern Caribbean Ocean is often called a "hurricane graveyard" because low-pressure systems typically fail to develop into hurricanes there. Yet, in late September 2016, Hurricane Matthew defied these odds, undergoing explosive intensification to become a record-breaking Category 5 behemoth that devastated Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas.

Hurricane Matthew’s transformation was remarkably rapid. After becoming a tropical storm near the Lesser Antilles on September 28, 2016, it reached Category 1 status on September 29. In the 24 hours following September 30, the storm underwent explosive intensification, jumping from 80 mph winds to a Category 5 monster with 160 mph winds. Reaching 13.4°N, it became the most southerly Category 5 hurricane ever recorded and the Atlantic's initial Category 5 since 2007.

The storm's path was as unusual as its strength. After reaching Category 5, Matthew abruptly shifted course toward the Greater Antilles. On October 4, the storm hit Haiti's southern peninsula as a Category 4, dropping 20 to 40 inches of rain. This marked the first time a Category 4 hurricane had struck Haiti since 1964. The devastation was immense; in Haiti alone, more than 1,000 people were listed as killed.

Matthew's impact extended far beyond the islands. After striking Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas, the storm tracked along the southeastern United States coastline. While its eye remained offshore near Florida, it buffeted the coast with heavy rain and storm surges. In North Carolina, the storm caused significant inland flooding, leaving over a million people without power and causing at least 46 deaths in the United States.

The hurricane sustained such intense power due to unusually hot temperatures in the Gulf Stream and Caribbean waters. This thermal energy allowed Matthew to remain a major hurricane for just over seven days, a streak that ranks as the fifth-longest on record.

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