West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1856, 50 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.4 years. Of those, 13 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ida (2021), which passed 32 miles away on 30 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentIda (2021) — 32 mi away, 30 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1909) — 95 kt (109 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordArlene (1959) — 3.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles23 of 50
- Peak monthSeptember — 20 storms (40% of all)
- Most active year1971 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1950s and 1970s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1856–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 7 | 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 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2021) | 30 Aug 2021 | 31.8 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 39.9 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Isaac (2012) | 30 Aug 2012 | 4.0 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Gustav (2008) | 1 Sep 2008 | 34.3 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Matthew (2004) | 10 Oct 2004 | 24.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 6 Aug 2002 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 11 Jun 2001 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 26 Aug 1992 | 20.4 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Florence (1988) | 10 Sep 1988 | 39.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 9 Aug 1988 | 16.3 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 29 Oct 1985 | 35.1 mi | TS / TD | 61 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 6 Sep 1977 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 30 Jul 1975 | 39.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Edith (1971) | 16 Sep 1971 | 17.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 1 Sep 1971 | 37.0 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 9 Aug 1971 | 48.3 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1966) | 27 Jul 1966 | 49.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 9.1 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 15.6 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 31 May 1959 | 3.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 18 Sep 1957 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 13 Jun 1956 | 42.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Brenda (1955) | 2 Aug 1955 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Sep 1949 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 19 Sep 1947 | 8.4 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 24 Sep 1940 | 34.2 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 3 Oct 1937 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 16 Jun 1934 | 9.4 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 19 Sep 1932 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 15 Jul 1931 | 4.2 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 22 Sep 1926 | 7.1 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 26 Aug 1926 | 4.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 20.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 22 Sep 1920 | 17.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 21.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 13 Aug 1911 | 37.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 11.4 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 9 Oct 1905 | 32.7 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 29 Sep 1905 | 29.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 27 Aug 1890 | 39.4 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 20.6 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 15 Jun 1886 | 41.7 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 1 Sep 1879 | 26.0 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 18 Sep 1875 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 6 Sep 1869 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 2 Oct 1860 | 9.6 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 11 Aug 1856 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 47 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 | 48.7 mi | 25 kt |
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 44.8 mi | 45 kt |
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 5 Sep 2011 | 7.0 mi | 35 kt |
| Bonnie (2010) | Remnant low | 25 Jul 2010 | 31.2 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1863 | 11.3 mi | 40 kt |
How West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana ranks #203 — more exposed than 90.8% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #17 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1909) passed 11 miles away on 21 September 1909 as a hurricane, reaching 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1856) passed 30 miles away on 11 August 1856 as a tropical storm, reaching 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Ida (2021) passed 32 miles away on 30 August 2021 as a hurricane, reaching 91 kt (105 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Andrew (1992) passed 20 miles away on 26 August 1992 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
43 of the 50 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 50 storms spread over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025. 5 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 1890 and 1905. It has been 4 years since the last one; 13 of the 43 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
13 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1856. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 50.
When was the last hurricane in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Ida (2021), on 30 August 2021, passing 32 miles away — 5 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Ida (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1909), which reached 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 11 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.4 years — 50 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
West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 5 other parishes with a published storm record. East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has 52 on record.