West Carroll Parish, Louisiana Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1888, 20 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of West Carroll Parish, Louisiana — about one every 6.9 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Delta (2020), which passed 15 miles away on 10 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDelta (2020) — 15 mi away, 10 October 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1909) — 65 kt (75 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordHarvey (2017) — 1.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles11 of 20
- Peak monthSeptember — 7 storms (35% of all)
- Most active year1957 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1900s, 1930s and 1950s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1888–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (2020) | 10 Oct 2020 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 27.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Gordon (2018) | 6 Sep 2018 | 33.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 31 Aug 2017 | 1.2 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Lili (2002) | 4 Oct 2002 | 16.0 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 11 Aug 1987 | 37.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 16 Aug 1985 | 4.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Betsy (1965) | 10 Sep 1965 | 34.8 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 19 Sep 1957 | 30.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Audrey (1957) | 28 Jun 1957 | 17.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 14 Jun 1956 | 13.7 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 4 Oct 1937 | 28.3 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 17 Jun 1934 | 48.2 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 20 Sep 1932 | 49.4 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 16 Oct 1923 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Sep 1909 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 2 Aug 1908 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 30 Sep 1905 | 17.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 21 Sep 1898 | 12.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 20 Aug 1888 | 34.2 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humberto (2007) | Remnant low | 14 Sep 2007 | 28.5 mi | 20 kt |
| Matthew (2004) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 2004 | 0.5 mi | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | Post-tropical | 26 Jul 1933 | 8.7 mi | 30 kt |
How West Carroll 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 Carroll Parish, Louisiana ranks #784 — more exposed than 64.5% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #63 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1909) passed 9 miles away on 21 September 1909 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1888) passed 34 miles away on 20 August 1888 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1923) passed 22 miles away on 16 October 1923 as a tropical storm, reaching 48 kt (55 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Audrey (1957) passed 17 miles away on 28 June 1957 as a tropical storm, reaching 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles.
20 of the 20 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 20 storms spread over the 138 years from 1888 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 20 years, between 1965 and 1985. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 17 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit West Carroll Parish, Louisiana?
2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of West Carroll Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1888. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 20.
When was the last hurricane in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1909), on 21 September 1909, passing 9 miles away — 117 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Delta (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect West Carroll Parish, Louisiana?
Unnamed Storm (1909), which reached 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 9 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit West Carroll Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.9 years — 20 storms over the 138 years from 1888 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby parishes
West Carroll Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 4 other parishes with a published storm record. Richland Parish, Louisiana has 23 on record.