An approaching cold front caused Floyd to turn unexpectedly to the northeast, and late on October 12 it attained hurricane status near the Florida Keys.

Floyd maintained hurricane status for only 12 hours before the cold front imparted hostile conditions and caused weakening.

[1] After reaching tropical storm status, Floyd accelerated to the north in the western Caribbean Sea, due to an approaching cold front.

The storm underwent extratropical transition as it weakened over the Bahamas, and Floyd was no longer a tropical cyclone by late on October 18.

[4] In preparation for the storm, Cuban officials in Pinar del Río Province evacuated 100,000 people, as well as 40,000 head of cattle.

It was the first warning in the state related to the storm, and was issued due to the anticipated intensification to hurricane status as well as short notice.

[7] Officials in southern Florida closed schools due to the storm,[6] and a few flights were canceled at Miami International Airport.

[8] People in the hurricane's path prepared by purchasing supplies from supermarkets, gassing up their vehicles, and securing loose outside items.

[3] The hurricane produced rip tides as far west as the Texas coast, killing one person along South Padre Island.

That same day, a weather system developing over the Bay of Biscay (unrelated to Floyd or its remnants) struck South East England as one of the worst storms in the United Kingdom in three centuries.

[16] Fish was criticized for incorrectly forecasting the storm and later claimed he was referring to Hurricane Floyd, but neglected to mention Florida.