Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Hurricane History
Since 1858, 21 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire — about one every 8.0 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Floyd (1999), which passed 24 miles away on 17 September 1999.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFloyd (1999) — 24 mi away, 17 September 1999
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAble (1952) — 3.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles7 of 21
- Peak monthSeptember — 12 storms (57% of all)
- Most active year1861 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1960s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1858–1999
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd (1999) | 17 Sep 1999 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 14 Jul 1996 | 36.5 mi | TS / TD | 59 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 14.9 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Belle (1976) | 10 Aug 1976 | 40.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 36.0 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1968) | 11 Sep 1968 | 44.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | 15 Sep 1961 | 29.9 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 12.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 3.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 19 Oct 1923 | 29.0 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 31 May 1908 | 37.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 24 Sep 1897 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 19.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 29.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 19 Sep 1876 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 30 Sep 1874 | 15.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 9 Sep 1869 | 32.5 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 3 Nov 1861 | 40.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 28.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 16 Sep 1858 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 10 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. Showing the 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred (2021) | Post-tropical | 20 Aug 2021 | 17.4 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 30 Aug 1988 | 32.3 mi | 20 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 2 Oct 1959 | 14.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Carol (1954) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 1954 | 20.9 mi | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 22.2 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 6.2 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | Post-tropical | 17 May 1916 | 29.4 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | Post-tropical | 14 Oct 1900 | 10.7 mi | 30 kt |
How Hillsborough County, New Hampshire compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire ranks #761 — more exposed than 65.5% of them. Within New Hampshire it ranks #1 of 10, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1869) passed 32 miles away on 9 September 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 15 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Donna (1960) passed 28 miles away on 13 September 1960 as a tropical storm, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1858) passed 22 miles away on 16 September 1858 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 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 8.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 21 storms spread over the 168 years from 1858 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 29 years, between 1923 and 1952. It has been 26 years since the last one; 1 of the 18 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 21.
When was the last hurricane in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 15 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Floyd (1999) in 1999.
What was the strongest storm to affect Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 32 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.0 years — 21 storms over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Essex County, Massachusetts has 27 on record.