Bertie County, North Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1851, 53 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bertie County, North Carolina — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 9 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ophelia (2023), which passed 25 miles away on 23 September 2023.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentOphelia (2023) — 25 mi away, 23 September 2023
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1879) — 95 kt (109 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1881) — 2.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles28 of 53
- Peak monthSeptember — 24 storms (45% of all)
- Most active year2004 — 3 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 8 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1851–2023
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ophelia (2023) | 23 Sep 2023 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 21 Jun 2021 | 15.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 33.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Ana (2015) | 11 May 2015 | 21.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 27 Aug 2011 | 49.4 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 6 Sep 2008 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Ernesto (2006) | 1 Sep 2006 | 26.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Gaston (2004) | 30 Aug 2004 | 48.3 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Charley (2004) | 14 Aug 2004 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Bonnie (2004) | 13 Aug 2004 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Isabel (2003) | 18 Sep 2003 | 12.0 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 15 Jun 2001 | 12.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 12.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Floyd (1999) | 16 Sep 1999 | 23.1 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Bonnie (1998) | 27 Aug 1998 | 49.0 mi | TS / TD | 61 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 24 Jul 1997 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 14.2 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Diana (1984) | 14 Sep 1984 | 47.3 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 21 Jun 1972 | 42.4 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 27 Aug 1971 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 26 May 1970 | 27.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Doria (1967) | 17 Sep 1967 | 49.5 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1967) | 19 Jun 1967 | 7.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Cleo (1964) | 1 Sep 1964 | 17.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1964) | 23 Jul 1964 | 16.5 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | 14 Sep 1961 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 10 Jul 1959 | 25.8 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Ione (1955) | 19 Sep 1955 | 31.1 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Connie (1955) | 12 Aug 1955 | 41.1 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 14 Sep 1949 | 37.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 6 Sep 1935 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 3 Sep 1934 | 11.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 6 Sep 1916 | 22.5 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 16 May 1916 | 17.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 15 Sep 1904 | 46.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 17 Jun 1893 | 22.7 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 11 Oct 1888 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 2 Jul 1886 | 48.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 23 Sep 1882 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 10 Sep 1881 | 2.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 18 Aug 1879 | 49.5 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 13.8 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 17 Sep 1876 | 19.3 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 29 Sep 1874 | 25.2 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 25 Oct 1872 | 5.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 18 Sep 1863 | 26.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 27 Sep 1861 | 19.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1857) | 13 Sep 1857 | 40.2 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 19 Aug 1856 | 37.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 10 Sep 1854 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 25 Aug 1851 | 16.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 17 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 9 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 36.7 mi | 40 kt |
| Michael (2018) | Post-tropical | 12 Oct 2018 | 42.8 mi | 52 kt |
| Julia (2016) | Post-tropical | 21 Sep 2016 | 31.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | Post-tropical | 7 Jun 2013 | 29.5 mi | 40 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 2006 | 24.4 mi | 37 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 4 Sep 1998 | 8.3 mi | 50 kt |
| Josephine (1996) | Post-tropical | 8 Oct 1996 | 37.5 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | Post-tropical | 16 Jun 1965 | 22.1 mi | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1928 | 26.8 mi | 67 kt |
Storms that came back
2 named storms in this record passed Bertie County, North Carolina more than once.
- Bonnie — 2 passes (1998, 2004)
- Doria — 2 passes (1967, 1971)
How Bertie County, North Carolina compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Bertie County, North Carolina ranks #171 — more exposed than 92.3% of them. Within North Carolina it ranks #28 of 100, against a state average of 37.9 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1879) passed 49 miles away on 18 August 1879 as a hurricane, reaching 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 14 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Connie (1955) passed 41 miles away on 12 August 1955 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Isabel (2003) passed 12 miles away on 18 September 2003 as a hurricane, reaching 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles.
49 of the 53 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 53 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 5 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 18 years, between 1916 and 1934. It has been 2 years since the last one; 19 of the 46 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Bertie County, North Carolina?
9 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bertie County, North Carolina at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 53.
When was the last hurricane in Bertie County, North Carolina?
Irene (2011), on 27 August 2011, passing 49 miles away — 15 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Ophelia (2023) in 2023.
What was the strongest storm to affect Bertie County, North Carolina?
Unnamed Storm (1879), which reached 95 kt (109 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 49 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Bertie County, North Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.3 years — 53 storms over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Bertie County, North Carolina borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Washington County, North Carolina has 68 on record.