Orleans Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History

No active tropical cyclones are within 500 miles of Orleans Parish, Louisiana as of Thursday, 10 September 2026. Official forecasts at nhc.noaa.gov.

Since 1855, 53 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orleans Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.2 years. Of those, 18 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 35 miles away on 12 September 2024.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

3.2

Avg. years between

Years since the last

Storm tracks within 50 miles

TS / TDCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5

Each line is one storm track, coloured by the strongest category it reached while within 50 miles. The dashed ring marks that 50-mile radius; hairlines are one-degree graticule. Source: NOAA NHC HURDAT2.

How strong they get

Cat 5 · 1Cat 4 · 1Cat 3 · 5Cat 2 · 4Cat 1 · 6TS / TD · 36

The 53 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 5.

Key facts

Most recentFrancine (2024) — 35 mi away, 12 September 2024
Strongest stormCamille (1969) — 150 kt (173 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordBertha (2002) — 2.1 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Katrina (2005) — 20.9 miles
Passes within 25 miles27 of 53
Peak monthSeptember — 21 storms (40% of all)
Most active year1860 — 2 storms
Most active decade1970s and 2000s — 6 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi7
Record span1855–2024

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Orleans Parish, Louisiana, September is the most active month, with 21 of the 53 recorded storms (40%). The primary season runs August to October, accounting for 77% of all activity. The 1970s and 2000s are tied as the most active decades on record, with 6 storms. 7 of the 53 storms were major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) while within 50 miles.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0	0	0	0	0	6	6	13	21	7	0	0

Activity by decade

19002000

Tropical cyclones passing within 50 miles, by decade, 1850s to 2020s. Decades with no storms are shown as empty columns. Comparing two equal 38-year windows inside the aircraft-reconnaissance era: 14 storms in 1950–1987 against 15 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
1	3	2	1	5	1	2	2	3	4	4	2	6	4	2	6	0	5

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Francine (2024)	12 Sep 2024	34.5 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Ida (2021)	30 Aug 2021	41.2 mi	Cat 3	105 kt
Claudette (2021)	19 Jun 2021	20.1 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Zeta (2020)	29 Oct 2020	10.3 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Cristobal (2020)	8 Jun 2020	9.6 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Katrina (2005)	29 Aug 2005	20.9 mi	Cat 3	107 kt
Cindy (2005)	6 Jul 2005	16.4 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Bill (2003)	30 Jun 2003	31.4 mi	TS / TD	46 kt
Isidore (2002)	26 Sep 2002	4.2 mi	TS / TD	55 kt
Bertha (2002)	5 Aug 2002	2.1 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Allison (2001)	11 Jun 2001	17.2 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Hermine (1998)	20 Sep 1998	41.0 mi	TS / TD	31 kt
Danny (1997)	18 Jul 1997	49.9 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Florence (1988)	10 Sep 1988	6.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Beryl (1988)	8 Aug 1988	3.9 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Elena (1985)	2 Sep 1985	43.3 mi	Cat 2	84 kt
Unnamed Storm (1980)	20 Jul 1980	42.7 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Bob (1979)	11 Jul 1979	27.8 mi	TS / TD	52 kt
Unnamed Storm (1977)	25 Oct 1977	28.4 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1975)	17 Oct 1975	5.4 mi	TD	—
Unnamed Storm (1975)	29 Jul 1975	5.6 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Fern (1971)	6 Sep 1971	12.6 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1971)	9 Aug 1971	6.1 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Camille (1969)	18 Aug 1969	36.2 mi	Cat 5	150 kt
Hilda (1964)	4 Oct 1964	41.2 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Esther (1957)	18 Sep 1957	48.8 mi	TS / TD	51 kt
Unnamed Storm (1956)	13 Jun 1956	40.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1955)	27 Aug 1955	5.8 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Brenda (1955)	1 Aug 1955	9.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1949)	4 Sep 1949	48.2 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1948)	4 Sep 1948	3.8 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1947)	19 Sep 1947	17.2 mi	Cat 2	88 kt
Unnamed Storm (1945)	6 Sep 1945	39.9 mi	TS / TD	27 kt
Unnamed Storm (1939)	26 Sep 1939	21.9 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	23 Aug 1936	17.5 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1936)	27 Jul 1936	16.2 mi	TS / TD	37 kt
Unnamed Storm (1926)	21 Sep 1926	27.4 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1923)	26 Jun 1923	33.4 mi	TS / TD	39 kt
Unnamed Storm (1915)	30 Sep 1915	16.2 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1914)	18 Sep 1914	6.8 mi	TS / TD	32 kt
Unnamed Storm (1901)	15 Aug 1901	49.3 mi	Cat 1	75 kt
Unnamed Storm (1895)	16 Aug 1895	44.8 mi	TS / TD	49 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	2 Oct 1893	37.0 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Unnamed Storm (1893)	7 Sep 1893	23.2 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1892)	12 Sep 1892	10.8 mi	TS / TD	44 kt
Unnamed Storm (1890)	27 Aug 1890	46.4 mi	TS / TD	38 kt
Unnamed Storm (1887)	19 Oct 1887	26.2 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1879)	7 Oct 1879	21.8 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1877)	19 Sep 1877	39.1 mi	Cat 1	70 kt
Unnamed Storm (1869)	5 Sep 1869	30.7 mi	TS / TD	47 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	15 Sep 1860	29.9 mi	Cat 2	90 kt
Unnamed Storm (1860)	12 Aug 1860	22.8 mi	Cat 3	100 kt
Unnamed Storm (1855)	16 Sep 1855	30.2 mi	Cat 3	103 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 5 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	42.0 mi	45 kt
Lee (2011)	Post-tropical	5 Sep 2011	39.0 mi	40 kt
Bonnie (2010)	Remnant low	25 Jul 2010	34.2 mi	21 kt
Unnamed Storm (1932)	Post-tropical	16 Oct 1932	8.1 mi	48 kt
Unnamed Storm (1863)	Post-tropical	1 Oct 1863	32.2 mi	40 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1855–2025. Tracks are recorded every six hours and are interpolated to one-hour steps before distances are measured, so closest-approach figures are not distorted by the sampling interval. Distances are measured to the parish's Census internal point, not to its nearest boundary, so a storm listed at 55 miles may still have crossed the coastline — see Methodology. Records before about 1900 are sparser and less precise than modern ones, and storms that stayed at sea were less likely to be recorded at all.

How Orleans Parish, Louisiana compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Orleans Parish, Louisiana ranks #168 — more exposed than 92.4% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #7 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.

Notable storms

Cat 5 Camille (1969) passed 36 miles away on 18 August 1969 as a hurricane, reaching 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 4 Ida (2021) passed 41 miles away on 30 August 2021 as a hurricane, reaching 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Katrina (2005) passed 21 miles away on 29 August 2005 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 37 miles away on 2 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.

45 of the 53 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 3.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 53 storms spread over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025. 11 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 2005 and 2020. It has been 1 year since the last one; 30 of the 41 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Orleans Parish, Louisiana?

18 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orleans Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1855. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 53.

When was the last hurricane in Orleans Parish, Louisiana?

Francine (2024), on 12 September 2024, passing 35 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 Orleans Parish, Louisiana?

Camille (1969), which reached 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 36 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Orleans Parish, Louisiana?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.2 years — 53 storms over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby parishes

Orleans Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 4 other parishes with a published storm record. Jefferson Parish, Louisiana has 64 on record.

Jefferson Parish, Louisiana64 storms within 50 mi Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana59 storms within 50 mi St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana59 storms within 50 mi St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana51 storms within 50 mi