Merrimack County, New Hampshire Hurricane History
Since 1858, 19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Merrimack County, New Hampshire — about one every 8.8 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Irene (2011), which passed 44 miles away on 28 August 2011.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentIrene (2011) — 44 mi away, 28 August 2011
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1893) — 16.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles6 of 19
- Peak monthSeptember — 11 storms (58% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1890s and 1960s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1858–2011
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Floyd (1999) | 17 Sep 1999 | 40.2 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 16.7 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1968) | 11 Sep 1968 | 41.8 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | 15 Sep 1961 | 35.1 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 42.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 22.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 22.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 19 Oct 1923 | 19.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 31 May 1908 | 47.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 24 Sep 1897 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 30.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 16.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 47.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 30 Sep 1874 | 28.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 9 Sep 1869 | 45.3 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 44.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 16 Sep 1858 | 35.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 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 | 44.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 30 Aug 1988 | 47.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 2 Oct 1959 | 31.7 mi | 25 kt |
| Carol (1954) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 1954 | 19.7 mi | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 34.6 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 12.2 mi | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | Post-tropical | 17 May 1916 | 38.5 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | Post-tropical | 14 Oct 1900 | 21.3 mi | 30 kt |
How Merrimack 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, Merrimack County, New Hampshire ranks #817 — more exposed than 63.0% of them. Within New Hampshire it ranks #5 of 10, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1869) passed 45 miles away on 9 September 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 17 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 66 kt (76 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1858) passed 36 miles away on 16 September 1858 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Donna (1960) passed 42 miles away on 13 September 1960 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
18 of the 19 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 8.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 19 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 14 years since the last one; 3 of the 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Merrimack County, New Hampshire at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 19.
When was the last hurricane in Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 17 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Irene (2011) in 2011.
What was the strongest storm to affect Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 45 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.8 years — 19 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
Merrimack County, New Hampshire borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Hillsborough County, New Hampshire has 21 on record.