Strafford County, New Hampshire Hurricane History
Since 1858, 20 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Strafford County, New Hampshire — about one every 8.4 years. Of those, 5 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Floyd (1999), which passed 16 miles away on 17 September 1999.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFloyd (1999) — 16 mi away, 17 September 1999
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 90 kt (104 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAble (1952) — 1.9 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles14 of 20
- Peak monthSeptember — 10 storms (50% of all)
- Most active year1861 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1860s — 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 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd (1999) | 17 Sep 1999 | 16.3 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 14 Jul 1996 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Bob (1991) | 19 Aug 1991 | 46.7 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 33.5 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | 15 Sep 1961 | 22.3 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 18.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 1.9 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 19 Oct 1923 | 14.6 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 21 Jul 1916 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 31 May 1908 | 17.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 24 Sep 1897 | 21.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 7.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 37.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 30 Sep 1874 | 4.4 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 4 Oct 1869 | 45.8 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 9 Sep 1869 | 20.2 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 3 Nov 1861 | 24.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 21.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 16 Sep 1858 | 11.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 14 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 | 47.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Barry (2007) | Post-tropical | 5 Jun 2007 | 35.5 mi | 33 kt |
| Hermine (2004) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 2004 | 30.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 30 Aug 1988 | 28.8 mi | 20 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 2 Oct 1959 | 30.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Carol (1954) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 1954 | 22.7 mi | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 18.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 13.9 mi | 38 kt |
How Strafford 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, Strafford County, New Hampshire ranks #793 — more exposed than 64.1% of them. Within New Hampshire it ranks #3 of 10, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed (October 1869) passed 46 miles away on 4 October 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed (September 1869) passed 20 miles away on 9 September 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Bob (1991) passed 47 miles away on 19 August 1991 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 34 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 66 kt (76 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 8.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 20 storms spread over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025. 3 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 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Strafford County, New Hampshire?
5 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Strafford County, New Hampshire at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 20.
When was the last hurricane in Strafford County, New Hampshire?
Bob (1991), on 19 August 1991, passing 47 miles away — 35 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Floyd (1999) in 1999.
What was the strongest storm to affect Strafford County, New Hampshire?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 46 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Strafford County, New Hampshire?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.4 years — 20 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
Strafford County, New Hampshire borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Rockingham County, New Hampshire has 21 on record.