St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1856, 51 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 24 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 25 miles away on 11 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 25 mi away, 11 September 2024
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1856) — 130 kt (150 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAndrew (1992) — 3.0 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Andrew (1992) — 3.0 miles
- Passes within 25 miles19 of 51
- Peak monthSeptember — 21 storms (41% of all)
- Most active year1971 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi6
- Record span1856–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 11 Sep 2024 | 24.8 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 19 Jun 2021 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Barry (2019) | 13 Jul 2019 | 34.7 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 29 Aug 2012 | 36.0 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Lee (2011) | 4 Sep 2011 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Gustav (2008) | 1 Sep 2008 | 12.4 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Matthew (2004) | 10 Oct 2004 | 34.1 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 30 Jun 2003 | 36.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Lili (2002) | 3 Oct 2002 | 45.1 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 7 Aug 2002 | 29.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 11 Jun 2001 | 8.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 40.6 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 26 Aug 1992 | 3.0 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 9 Aug 1988 | 41.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 29 Oct 1985 | 7.2 mi | Cat 1 | 64 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 5 Sep 1977 | 4.1 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Carmen (1974) | 8 Sep 1974 | 6.5 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Fern (1971) | 6 Sep 1971 | 49.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 1 Sep 1971 | 37.8 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1966) | 26 Jul 1966 | 6.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 37.8 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 5.3 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 30 May 1959 | 8.4 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 18 Sep 1957 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 47.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Sep 1949 | 47.3 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 22 Aug 1947 | 38.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1943) | 20 Sep 1943 | 33.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 6 Aug 1940 | 49.2 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 3 Oct 1937 | 32.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 16 Jun 1934 | 14.3 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 19 Sep 1932 | 26.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 15 Jul 1931 | 21.1 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 26 Aug 1926 | 30.2 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 28.0 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 22 Sep 1920 | 20.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 29.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 8.4 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 13.3 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 31 Jul 1908 | 25.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 9 Oct 1905 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 12 Sep 1897 | 35.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 7 Sep 1893 | 36.4 mi | Cat 1 | 81 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 27 Aug 1890 | 40.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 19 Aug 1888 | 36.2 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 1 Sep 1879 | 9.7 mi | Cat 3 | 110 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 18 Sep 1877 | 37.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 4 Oct 1867 | 35.2 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1865) | 7 Sep 1865 | 32.6 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 2 Oct 1860 | 6.2 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 10 Aug 1856 | 3.3 mi | Cat 4 | 113 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas (2021) | Remnant low | 16 Sep 2021 | 12.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 36.7 mi | 45 kt |
| Bonnie (2010) | Remnant low | 25 Jul 2010 | 42.8 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 15 Oct 1932 | 40.5 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1863 | 43.6 mi | 40 kt |
How St. Mary 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. Mary Parish, Louisiana ranks #193 — more exposed than 91.3% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #12 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Unnamed Storm (1856) passed 3 miles away on 10 August 1856 as a hurricane, reaching 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Andrew (1992) passed 3 miles away on 26 August 1992 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Carmen (1974) passed 6 miles away on 8 September 1974 as a hurricane, reaching 117 kt (135 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 10 miles away on 1 September 1879 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
44 of the 51 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 51 storms spread over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025. 2 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 10 years, between 1867 and 1877. It has been 1 year since the last one; 40 of the 48 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?
24 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1856. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 51.
When was the last hurricane in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?
Francine (2024), on 11 September 2024, passing 25 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 St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1856), which reached 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 3 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.3 years — 51 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. Mary Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 4 other parishes with a published storm record. Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana has 63 on record.