Union Parish, Louisiana Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1886, 21 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Union Parish, Louisiana — about one every 6.7 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Laura (2020), which passed 31 miles away on 27 August 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentLaura (2020) — 31 mi away, 27 August 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1909) — 61 kt (70 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordBetsy (1965) — 19.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles4 of 21
- Peak monthAugust and September — 7 storms (33% of all)
- Most active year1985 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1980s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1886–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura (2020) | 27 Aug 2020 | 30.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 22.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 31 Aug 2017 | 45.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 30 Aug 2012 | 21.2 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Lili (2002) | 4 Oct 2002 | 37.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Florence (1988) | 11 Sep 1988 | 26.7 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 11 Aug 1987 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elena (1985) | 3 Sep 1985 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 16 Aug 1985 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Chris (1982) | 12 Sep 1982 | 22.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Debra (1978) | 29 Aug 1978 | 31.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 19.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Audrey (1957) | 28 Jun 1957 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 15 Aug 1938 | 49.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 4 Oct 1937 | 26.5 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 22 Sep 1920 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 21 Sep 1898 | 40.1 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1895) | 7 Oct 1895 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1891) | 7 Jul 1891 | 42.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 13 Oct 1886 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 1 system 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew (2004) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 2004 | 47.9 mi | 22 kt |
How Union Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Union Parish, Louisiana ranks #755 — more exposed than 65.8% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #62 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1909) passed 49 miles away on 21 September 1909 as a hurricane, reaching 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Laura (2020) passed 31 miles away on 27 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Audrey (1957) passed 25 miles away on 28 June 1957 as a tropical storm, reaching 52 kt (60 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Betsy (1965) passed 19 miles away on 10 September 1965 as a tropical storm, reaching 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles.
19 of the 21 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 21 storms spread over the 140 years from 1886 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 19 years, between 1938 and 1957. It has been 5 years since the last one; 8 of the 18 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Union Parish, Louisiana?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Union Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1886. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 21.
When was the last hurricane in Union Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1909), on 21 September 1909, passing 49 miles away — 117 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Laura (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Union Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1909), which reached 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 49 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Union Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.7 years — 21 storms over the 140 years from 1886 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby parishes
Union Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 4 other parishes with a published storm record. Ouachita Parish, Louisiana has 23 on record.