Pearl River County, Mississippi Hurricane History
Since 1855, 54 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pearl River County, Mississippi — about one every 3.2 years. Of those, 11 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 40 miles away on 12 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 40 mi away, 12 September 2024
- Strongest stormCamille (1969) — 150 kt (173 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordKatrina (2005) — 1.9 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Katrina (2005) — 1.9 miles
- Passes within 25 miles18 of 54
- Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (41% of all)
- Most active year1860 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi5
- Record span1855–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 22 | 8 | 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 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 12 Sep 2024 | 39.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 19 Jun 2021 | 7.9 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 11.1 mi | Cat 1 | 81 kt |
| Gordon (2018) | 5 Sep 2018 | 37.7 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Nate (2017) | 8 Oct 2017 | 43.5 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 25 Aug 2008 | 43.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Katrina (2005) | 29 Aug 2005 | 1.9 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | 6 Jul 2005 | 31.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 20.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Isidore (2002) | 26 Sep 2002 | 16.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 5 Aug 2002 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 11 Jun 2001 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 29 Sep 1998 | 36.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 29.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 8 Aug 1988 | 49.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elena (1985) | 2 Sep 1985 | 10.8 mi | Cat 2 | 84 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1984) | 28 Oct 1984 | 34.9 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 20 Jul 1980 | 11.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 11 Jul 1979 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 6 Sep 1977 | 33.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 30 Jul 1975 | 45.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Fern (1971) | 5 Sep 1971 | 13.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 18 Aug 1969 | 5.2 mi | Cat 4 | 115 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 7.6 mi | TS / TD | 56 kt |
| Ethel (1960) | 16 Sep 1960 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 47.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Brenda (1955) | 1 Aug 1955 | 41.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 4 Sep 1948 | 5.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 8 Sep 1947 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 6 Sep 1945 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 26 Sep 1939 | 29.6 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 23 Aug 1936 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 28 Jul 1936 | 25.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 21 Sep 1926 | 24.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 18 Oct 1923 | 33.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 6 Jul 1916 | 47.8 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 30 Sep 1915 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 12 Aug 1911 | 7.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 21 Sep 1907 | 43.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 27 Sep 1906 | 44.6 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 10 Oct 1905 | 47.3 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 8 Aug 1894 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 8 Sep 1893 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 12 Sep 1892 | 25.5 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 19 Oct 1887 | 49.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 14 Jun 1887 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 15 Jun 1886 | 30.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 7 Oct 1879 | 17.9 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 11 Jul 1872 | 34.9 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 15 Sep 1860 | 26.7 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 12 Aug 1860 | 42.6 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1855) | 16 Sep 1855 | 23.1 mi | Cat 1 | 80 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 47.4 mi | 45 kt |
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 5 Sep 2011 | 10.1 mi | 40 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 17 Aug 2010 | 2.8 mi | 24 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 16 Oct 1932 | 11.6 mi | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1863 | 13.1 mi | 40 kt |
How Pearl River County, Mississippi compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Pearl River County, Mississippi ranks #161 — more exposed than 92.7% of them. Within Mississippi it ranks #4 of 82, against a state average of 32.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 5 Camille (1969) passed 5 miles away on 18 August 1969 as a hurricane, reaching 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Katrina (2005) passed 2 miles away on 29 August 2005 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1855) passed 23 miles away on 16 September 1855 as a hurricane, reaching 101 kt (116 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Elena (1985) passed 11 miles away on 2 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
47 of the 54 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 54 storms spread over the 171 years from 1855 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 12 years, between 1860 and 1872. It has been 1 year since the last one; 31 of the 46 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Pearl River County, Mississippi?
11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Pearl River County, Mississippi at hurricane strength since 1855. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 54.
When was the last hurricane in Pearl River County, Mississippi?
Zeta (2020), on 29 October 2020, passing 11 miles away — 6 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Francine (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Pearl River County, Mississippi?
Camille (1969), which reached 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 5 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Pearl River County, Mississippi?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.2 years — 54 storms over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Pearl River County, Mississippi borders or sits close to 8 other counties with a published storm record. Hancock County, Mississippi has 59 on record.