Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1856, 40 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana — about one every 4.2 years. Of those, 14 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Delta (2020), which passed 42 miles away on 10 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDelta (2020) — 42 mi away, 10 October 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1856) — 110 kt (127 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordJuan (1985) — 2.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1856) — 11.2 miles
- Passes within 25 miles16 of 40
- Peak monthSeptember — 18 storms (45% of all)
- Most active year1926 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1930s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
- Record span1856–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 18 | 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 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (2020) | 10 Oct 2020 | 42.4 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Barry (2019) | 13 Jul 2019 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 30 Aug 2012 | 43.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Lee (2011) | 4 Sep 2011 | 13.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Gustav (2008) | 1 Sep 2008 | 13.1 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Lili (2002) | 3 Oct 2002 | 17.0 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 7 Aug 2002 | 24.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 26 Aug 1992 | 22.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 10 Aug 1988 | 22.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 29 Oct 1985 | 2.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 15 Aug 1985 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 5 Sep 1977 | 38.7 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Carmen (1974) | 8 Sep 1974 | 11.1 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 16 Sep 1971 | 3.5 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1966) | 27 Jul 1966 | 2.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 39.0 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 43.4 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 31 May 1959 | 34.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 19 Sep 1947 | 33.0 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1943) | 20 Sep 1943 | 49.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 24 Sep 1940 | 26.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 3 Oct 1937 | 5.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 16 Jun 1934 | 31.4 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 19 Sep 1932 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 15 Jul 1931 | 46.3 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 22 Sep 1926 | 29.6 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 26 Aug 1926 | 35.7 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 22 Sep 1920 | 34.3 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 43.9 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 37.6 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 1 Aug 1908 | 29.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 29 Sep 1905 | 5.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 20 Sep 1898 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 15 Jun 1886 | 45.6 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 18 Sep 1875 | 49.0 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1865) | 7 Sep 1865 | 35.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 2 Oct 1860 | 48.1 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 11 Aug 1856 | 11.2 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas (2021) | Remnant low | 15 Sep 2021 | 10.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2020 | 45.6 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1863 | 3.5 mi | 40 kt |
How Lafayette Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana ranks #321 — more exposed than 85.5% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #26 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1856) passed 11 miles away on 11 August 1856 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Andrew (1992) passed 23 miles away on 26 August 1992 as a hurricane, reaching 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1909) passed 38 miles away on 21 September 1909 as a hurricane, reaching 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Carmen (1974) passed 11 miles away on 8 September 1974 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
34 of the 40 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 4.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 40 storms spread over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025. 3 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 12 years, between 1886 and 1898. It has been 5 years since the last one; 11 of the 36 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
14 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1856. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 40.
When was the last hurricane in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
Delta (2020), on 10 October 2020, passing 42 miles away — 6 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Delta (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1856), which reached 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 11 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.2 years — 40 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
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 5 other parishes with a published storm record. St. Martin Parish, Louisiana has 43 on record.