Ulster County, New York Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1863, 13 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Ulster County, New York — about one every 12.5 years. Of those, 2 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 17 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 17 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordIsaias (2020) — 8.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 13
- Peak monthAugust — 8 storms (62% 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 | 3 | 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 | 1 | 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 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 43.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 48.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 23 Jun 1972 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 34.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 28.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 19.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 42.5 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 48.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 16.0 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred (2021) | Post-tropical | 19 Aug 2021 | 41.2 mi | 22 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 11 Jul 2020 | 10.3 mi | 29 kt |
| Florence (2018) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2018 | 10.8 mi | 25 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1959 | 42.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 3 Oct 1929 | 40.2 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 45.8 mi | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 7.2 mi | 46 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 23.6 mi | 48 kt |
How Ulster 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, Ulster County, New York ranks #1,092 — more exposed than 50.5% of them. Within New York it ranks #14 of 61, against a state average of 8.0 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (August 1893) passed 42 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 16 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (August 1893) passed 19 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isaias (2020) passed 9 miles away on 4 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 53 kt (61 mph) while within 50 miles.
11 of the 13 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 12.5 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 13 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 56 years, between 1893 and 1949. It has been 4 years since the last one; 9 of the 11 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Ulster County, New York?
2 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Ulster County, New York at hurricane strength since 1863. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 13.
When was the last hurricane in Ulster County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1893), on 24 August 1893, passing 42 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 Ulster County, New York?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 42 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Ulster County, New York?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 12.5 years — 13 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
Ulster County, New York borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Dutchess County, New York has 19 on record.