Sullivan County, New York Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1878, 10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sullivan County, New York — about one every 14.8 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 19 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 19 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1878) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1878) — 12.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles6 of 10
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (60% of all)
- Most active year1878 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1970s and 2020s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1878–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henri (2021) | 23 Aug 2021 | 19.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 21.0 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 43.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 23 Jun 1972 | 14.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 39.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 24.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 45.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 12.5 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred (2021) | Post-tropical | 19 Aug 2021 | 49.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 11 Jul 2020 | 31.9 mi | 29 kt |
| Florence (2018) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2018 | 14.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1959 | 49.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 3 Oct 1929 | 25.1 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 19.6 mi | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 49.0 mi | 48 kt |
How Sullivan 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, Sullivan County, New York ranks #1,261 — more exposed than 42.9% of them. Within New York it ranks #18 of 61, against a state average of 8.0 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 13 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 27 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isaias (2020) passed 21 miles away on 4 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 53 kt (61 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Able (1952) passed 40 miles away on 1 September 1952 as a tropical storm, reaching 49 kt (56 mph) while within 50 miles.
8 of the 10 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 14.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 10 storms spread over the 148 years from 1878 to 2025. 0 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 56 years, between 1893 and 1949. It has been 4 years since the last one; 7 of the 9 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Sullivan County, New York?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sullivan County, New York at hurricane strength since 1878. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 10.
When was the last hurricane in Sullivan County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1878), on 23 October 1878, passing 13 miles away — 148 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Henri (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Sullivan County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1878), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 13 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Sullivan County, New York?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 14.8 years — 10 storms over the 148 years from 1878 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Sullivan County, New York borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Sussex County, New Jersey has 15 on record.