East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1856, 52 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 15 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 43 miles away on 12 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 43 mi away, 12 September 2024
- Strongest stormIda (2021) — 98 kt (113 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1926) — 0.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Ida (2021) — 17.9 miles
- Passes within 25 miles24 of 52
- Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (42% of all)
- Most active year1971 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1970s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
- Record span1856–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 12 Sep 2024 | 42.6 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Ida (2021) | 30 Aug 2021 | 17.9 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 26.3 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 30 Aug 2012 | 18.0 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Gustav (2008) | 1 Sep 2008 | 47.4 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Matthew (2004) | 10 Oct 2004 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 30 Jun 2003 | 46.4 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 6 Aug 2002 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 11 Jun 2001 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 35.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 26 Aug 1992 | 32.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Florence (1988) | 10 Sep 1988 | 25.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 9 Aug 1988 | 25.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 29 Oct 1985 | 49.0 mi | TS / TD | 61 kt |
| Elena (1985) | 2 Sep 1985 | 50.0 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 11 Jul 1979 | 46.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 6 Sep 1977 | 11.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 30 Jul 1975 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 16 Sep 1971 | 17.9 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 1 Sep 1971 | 38.0 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 9 Aug 1971 | 35.4 mi | TD | — |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 20.4 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 13.1 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 31 May 1959 | 14.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 18 Sep 1957 | 23.6 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 13 Jun 1956 | 29.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 19.5 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Brenda (1955) | 2 Aug 1955 | 21.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Sep 1949 | 20.1 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 19 Sep 1947 | 15.9 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 24 Sep 1940 | 35.5 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 16 Jun 1934 | 18.9 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 19 Sep 1932 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 15 Jul 1931 | 15.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 22 Sep 1926 | 0.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 26 Aug 1926 | 15.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 14.2 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 22 Sep 1920 | 30.3 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 51 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 13 Aug 1911 | 31.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 25.1 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 9 Oct 1905 | 24.3 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 29 Sep 1905 | 37.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 27 Aug 1890 | 26.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 6.7 mi | Cat 1 | 71 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 15 Jun 1886 | 38.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 1 Sep 1879 | 17.4 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 18 Sep 1875 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 6 Sep 1869 | 37.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 2 Oct 1860 | 7.3 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 12 Aug 1856 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 4 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 35.7 mi | 45 kt |
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 5 Sep 2011 | 9.2 mi | 37 kt |
| Bonnie (2010) | Remnant low | 25 Jul 2010 | 31.2 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1863 | 14.5 mi | 40 kt |
How East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana ranks #182 — more exposed than 91.8% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #8 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Ida (2021) passed 18 miles away on 30 August 2021 as a hurricane, reaching 98 kt (113 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1909) passed 25 miles away on 21 September 1909 as a hurricane, reaching 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 17 miles away on 1 September 1879 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Betsy (1965) passed 20 miles away on 10 September 1965 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
45 of the 52 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 52 storms spread over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025. 6 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 15 years, between 1890 and 1905. It has been 1 year since the last one; 35 of the 44 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
15 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1856. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 52.
When was the last hurricane in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Francine (2024), on 12 September 2024, passing 43 miles away — 2 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Francine (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Ida (2021), which reached 98 kt (113 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 18 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.3 years — 52 storms over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby parishes
East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 6 other parishes with a published storm record. St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has 52 on record.