St. Helena Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1856, 52 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 9 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 27 miles away on 12 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 27 mi away, 12 September 2024
- Strongest stormIda (2021) — 91 kt (105 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1949) — 1.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles26 of 52
- Peak monthSeptember — 19 storms (37% of all)
- Most active year1879 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1950s and 1970s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1856–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 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 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 12 Sep 2024 | 27.2 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Ida (2021) | 30 Aug 2021 | 8.2 mi | TS / TD | 61 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 19 Jun 2021 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 30 Aug 2012 | 47.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Matthew (2004) | 10 Oct 2004 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 5 Aug 2002 | 5.5 mi | TS / TD | 18 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 26 Aug 1992 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Florence (1988) | 10 Sep 1988 | 8.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 8 Aug 1988 | 38.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elena (1985) | 2 Sep 1985 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 21 Jul 1980 | 42.1 mi | TD | — |
| Bob (1979) | 11 Jul 1979 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 6 Sep 1977 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 30 Jul 1975 | 2.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 16 Sep 1971 | 20.7 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 9 Aug 1971 | 25.5 mi | TD | — |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 31 May 1959 | 28.9 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 18 Sep 1957 | 3.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 13 Jun 1956 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 40.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Brenda (1955) | 2 Aug 1955 | 6.7 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Sep 1949 | 1.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 19 Sep 1947 | 44.3 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 6 Sep 1945 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 24 Sep 1940 | 29.3 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 28 Jul 1936 | 38.4 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 17 Jun 1934 | 35.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 20 Sep 1932 | 48.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 15 Jul 1931 | 45.0 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 22 Sep 1926 | 21.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 26 Aug 1926 | 45.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 18.4 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 30 Sep 1915 | 38.0 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 13 Aug 1911 | 12.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 10 Oct 1905 | 15.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 29 Sep 1905 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Aug 1894 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 7 Sep 1893 | 41.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 27 Aug 1890 | 6.5 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 17.8 mi | Cat 1 | 69 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 15 Jun 1886 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 7 Oct 1879 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 1 Sep 1879 | 3.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 18 Sep 1875 | 31.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 6 Sep 1869 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 2 Oct 1860 | 18.5 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 12 Aug 1856 | 36.6 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 | 19.3 mi | 45 kt |
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 5 Sep 2011 | 22.4 mi | 38 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 17 Aug 2010 | 40.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1863 | 28.8 mi | 40 kt |
How St. Helena Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana ranks #184 — more exposed than 91.7% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #10 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Ida (2021) passed 8 miles away on 30 August 2021 as a hurricane, reaching 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1947) passed 44 miles away on 19 September 1947 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 4 miles away on 1 September 1879 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Elena (1985) passed 22 miles away on 2 September 1985 as a tropical storm, reaching 76 kt (87 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. 7 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 11 years, between 1894 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 St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
9 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Helena 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 St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
Ida (2021), on 30 August 2021, passing 8 miles away — 5 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Francine (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
Ida (2021), which reached 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 8 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit St. Helena 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
St. Helena Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 5 other parishes with a published storm record. East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has 52 on record.