Orange County, New York Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1863, 12 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orange County, New York — about one every 13.6 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 15 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 15 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 72 kt (83 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAgnes (1972) — 3.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 12
- Peak monthAugust — 8 storms (67% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1890s, 1970s and 2020s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1863–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henri (2021) | 23 Aug 2021 | 14.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 34.7 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 9.5 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 22 Jun 1972 | 3.3 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 9.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 8.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 36.4 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 13.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 42.8 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 23.7 mi | TS / TD | 42 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 | 8.7 mi | 30 kt |
| Florence (2018) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2018 | 35.4 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 37.1 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 31.4 mi | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 37.1 mi | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | Post-tropical | 4 Aug 1915 | 28.1 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 13.6 mi | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 17.4 mi | 50 kt |
How Orange 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, Orange County, New York ranks #1,145 — more exposed than 48.1% of them. Within New York it ranks #15 of 61, against a state average of 8.0 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (August 1893) passed 36 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 43 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (August 1893) passed 8 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Irene (2011) passed 35 miles away on 28 August 2011 as a tropical storm, reaching 54 kt (62 mph) while within 50 miles.
10 of the 12 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 13.6 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 12 storms spread over the 163 years from 1863 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 59 years, between 1893 and 1952. It has been 4 years since the last one; 8 of the 10 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Orange County, New York?
2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orange County, New York at hurricane strength since 1863. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 12.
When was the last hurricane in Orange County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1893), on 24 August 1893, passing 36 miles away — 133 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Henri (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Orange County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 36 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Orange County, New York?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 13.6 years — 12 storms over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Orange County, New York borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Putnam County, New York has 22 on record.