Hurricane Matthew Could Loop Back to Florida Next Week

After Hurricane Matthew's initial battering of the Southeast coast this week, the long-range forecast shows it looping back around toward Florida next week, potentially striking the state a second time.

"While a loop back towards Florida and the Bahamas next week is not yet a sure thing, the increasing trend of our top models in that direction is a strong indication that Matthew will be around for a very long time," said Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters.

"What the models are predicting with Matthew would be unprecedented if it were to make landfall," said Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.

It's true that hurricanes have hit the Florida Peninsula and then gone on to hit the Florida Panhandle, he said, such as Hurricane Erin in 1995. Hurricane Erin made a double impact in Florida in 1995.

The most recent example of a storm hitting Florida multiple times was Tropical Storm Fay in 2008, Klotzbach added.

But in terms of a hurricane hitting Florida, doing a clockwise loop along the U.S. East Coast and then hitting Florida as a hurricane a second time, that would be a first, he said.

"I would be very surprised if Matthew were able to hold its hurricane intensity that long, though," Klotzbach said.

Newly-formed Hurricane Nicole could also play a role, according to WeatherBell meteorologist Ryan Maue, who said Thursday there is an "increasing likelihood of south Florida impacts (again) in 5-days+"

Source: USA Today