ORLANDO, Fla. — The climatological peak of hurricane season is in September, but October can also be an extremely active month.

In fact, 27 percent of the major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) to hit Florida since 1851 have struck in October.

More than half have been in September. None have hit during June, only two have made landfall in July, and six have been in August.

The most likely areas for development in October is in the Caribbean, around the Bahamas and off the east coast of Florida.

Some of the more significant hurricanes to impact Florida during October in recent years include Matthew.

Matthew was the first hurricane to impact the Sunshine State in October since Wilma in 2005. Matthew did not make landfall in Florida, but it came close. It churned along the Florida coastline for two days from October 6 to October 7.

Matthew produced a wind gust up to 70 mph in Melbourne. while Orlando picked up nearly 9 inches of rain from Matthew.

Before approaching Florida, Matthew was the first Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin since Felix in 2007. It then became a Category 4 as it passed to the east of south Florida and a Category 3 when it was passing along Central Florida’s coastline.

In 2005, Wilma made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125 mph near Naples on October 24. It brought 10-foot storm surge to the Florida Keys. Twenty-two people died in the storm, five of those deaths were in Florida.

Wilma had the all-time lowest pressure of any hurricane recorded in the Atlantic of 882 millibars at one point in its life-cycle.

In 1999, Irene made landfall in Cape Sable in southwest Florida on October 15. It was a Category 1 hurricane when it made landfall. It then moved off the Atlantic Coast of South Florida on October 16. Rainfall totals ranged from 6-17 inches across southern Florida.

The highest sustained wind was 60 mph over Miami Beach. The highest gust was 93 mph near Belle Glade. There were no direct deaths from Irene, but eight people died after the storm.

Hurricane season does not end until November 30.