Dutchess County, New York Hurricane History
Since 1861, 19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Dutchess County, New York — about one every 8.7 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 2 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 2 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1938) — 86 kt (99 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordHenri (2021) — 2.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 19
- Peak monthAugust — 9 storms (47% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1970s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1861–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henri (2021) | 23 Aug 2021 | 2.1 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 37.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 14.5 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 10.1 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 49.4 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Belle (1976) | 10 Aug 1976 | 44.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 22 Jun 1972 | 36.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 20.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1968) | 11 Sep 1968 | 42.1 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 46.7 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 7.4 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 21 Sep 1938 | 43.2 mi | Cat 2 | 87 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 17.1 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 16.3 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 27.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 44.5 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 30 Sep 1874 | 45.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 21.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 41.3 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 11 Jul 2020 | 22.4 mi | 29 kt |
| Florence (2018) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2018 | 21.7 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 30 Aug 1988 | 39.0 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 25.8 mi | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 16.7 mi | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | Post-tropical | 4 Aug 1915 | 29.5 mi | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 25.4 mi | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 7.2 mi | 48 kt |
How Dutchess County, New York compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Dutchess County, New York ranks #821 — more exposed than 62.8% of them. Within New York it ranks #11 of 61, against a state average of 8.0 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1938) passed 43 miles away on 21 September 1938 as a hurricane, reaching 86 kt (99 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 49 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 16 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 44 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
16 of the 19 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 8.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 19 storms spread over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 45 years, between 1893 and 1938. It has been 4 years since the last one; 11 of the 17 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Dutchess County, New York?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Dutchess County, New York at hurricane strength since 1861. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 19.
When was the last hurricane in Dutchess County, New York?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 49 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Henri (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Dutchess County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1938), which reached 86 kt (99 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 43 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Dutchess County, New York?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.7 years — 19 storms over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Dutchess County, New York borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Putnam County, New York has 22 on record.