Chatham County, North Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1854, 35 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Chatham County, North Carolina — about one every 4.9 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Chantal (2025), which passed 24 miles away on 7 July 2025.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentChantal (2025) — 24 mi away, 7 July 2025
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 77 kt (89 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1896) — 2.9 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles14 of 35
- Peak monthSeptember — 17 storms (49% of all)
- Most active year1886 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1854–2025
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chantal (2025) | 7 Jul 2025 | 24.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 8 Jul 2021 | 20.0 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 21 Jun 2021 | 49.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 11 Oct 2018 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Gaston (2004) | 30 Aug 2004 | 31.2 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Dennis (1999) | 5 Sep 1999 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 24 Jul 1997 | 33.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Fran (1996) | 6 Sep 1996 | 25.3 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 8 Sep 1987 | 42.6 mi | TD | — |
| Danny (1985) | 18 Aug 1985 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 16 Sep 1976 | 21.8 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 26 May 1970 | 23.6 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Cleo (1964) | 31 Aug 1964 | 23.1 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 10 Jul 1959 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 17 Aug 1955 | 39.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 14 Sep 1949 | 41.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 18 Sep 1945 | 7.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 6 Sep 1935 | 28.3 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1920) | 23 Sep 1920 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 3 Sep 1913 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 14 Sep 1904 | 39.1 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 16 Jun 1902 | 14.1 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 31 Oct 1899 | 40.6 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 30 Sep 1896 | 2.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 13 Oct 1893 | 41.7 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 10 Sep 1888 | 11.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 2 Jul 1886 | 40.4 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 22 Jun 1886 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 13 Oct 1885 | 6.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 11 Sep 1882 | 26.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 12 Sep 1878 | 36.5 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 23 Jun 1867 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 17 Sep 1859 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 9 Sep 1854 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 10 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 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debby (2024) | Post-tropical | 9 Aug 2024 | 44.0 mi | 30 kt |
| Ian (2022) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 2022 | 37.7 mi | 30 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 36.9 mi | 40 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 29.2 mi | 20 kt |
| Abby (1968) | Remnant low | 10 Jun 1968 | 4.2 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | Post-tropical | 16 Jun 1965 | 49.5 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 1944 | 25.4 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 2 Oct 1929 | 14.1 mi | 50 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Chatham County, North Carolina more than once.
- Danny — 2 passes (1985, 1997)
How Chatham 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, Chatham County, North Carolina ranks #417 — more exposed than 81.1% of them. Within North Carolina it ranks #52 of 100, against a state average of 37.9 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 42 miles away on 13 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 3 miles away on 30 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Fran (1996) passed 25 miles away on 6 September 1996 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1899) passed 41 miles away on 31 October 1899 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
32 of the 35 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 4.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 35 storms spread over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025. 2 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 15 years, between 1920 and 1935. It has been 0 years since the last one; 32 of the 32 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Chatham County, North Carolina?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Chatham County, North Carolina at hurricane strength since 1854. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 35.
When was the last hurricane in Chatham County, North Carolina?
Fran (1996), on 6 September 1996, passing 25 miles away — 30 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Chantal (2025) in 2025.
What was the strongest storm to affect Chatham County, North Carolina?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 42 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Chatham County, North Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.9 years — 35 storms over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Chatham County, North Carolina borders or sits close to 8 other counties with a published storm record. Harnett County, North Carolina has 44 on record.