Henderson County, North Carolina Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1896, 13 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Henderson County, North Carolina — about one every 10.0 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Zeta (2020), which passed 29 miles away on 29 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentZeta (2020) — 29 mi away, 29 October 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1949) — 50 kt (58 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordFlorence (2018) — 12.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles3 of 13
- Peak monthSeptember — 5 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1896 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1910s and 2000s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1896–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Florence (2018) | 17 Sep 2018 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 17 Sep 2004 | 46.6 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 2 Jul 2003 | 48.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 17 Aug 1994 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 18 Aug 1985 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 8 Sep 1977 | 43.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Abby (1968) | 8 Jun 1968 | 17.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 28 Aug 1949 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 15 Jul 1916 | 26.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 4 Sep 1913 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 18 Sep 1906 | 34.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 8 Jul 1896 | 32.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 7 Jul 2005 | 6.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 1911 | 4.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | Post-tropical | 23 Sep 1907 | 20.9 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1902 | 13.4 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | Post-tropical | 28 Sep 1901 | 14.8 mi | 34 kt |
How Henderson 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, Henderson County, North Carolina ranks #1,094 — more exposed than 50.4% of them. Within North Carolina it ranks #88 of 100, against a state average of 37.9 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1949) passed 39 miles away on 28 August 1949 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 29 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 45 kt (52 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 26 miles away on 15 July 1916 as a tropical storm, reaching 41 kt (47 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1906) passed 35 miles away on 18 September 1906 as a tropical storm, reaching 35 kt (40 mph) while within 50 miles.
12 of the 13 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 10.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 13 storms spread over the 130 years from 1896 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 33 years, between 1916 and 1949. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 12 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Henderson County, North Carolina?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Henderson County, North Carolina while at hurricane strength. 13 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1896, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1949).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Henderson County, North Carolina?
Zeta (2020), on 29 October 2020, passing 29 miles away — 6 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Henderson County, North Carolina at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Henderson County, North Carolina?
Unnamed Storm (1949), which reached 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 39 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Henderson County, North Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 10.0 years — 13 storms over the 130 years from 1896 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Henderson County, North Carolina borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Polk County, North Carolina has 16 on record.