Nash County, North Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1851, 48 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Nash County, North Carolina — about one every 3.6 years. Of those, 5 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Chantal (2025), which passed 31 miles away on 7 July 2025.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentChantal (2025) — 31 mi away, 7 July 2025
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 77 kt (89 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1949) — 6.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles22 of 48
- Peak monthSeptember — 21 storms (44% of all)
- Most active year1916 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1851–2025
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chantal (2025) | 7 Jul 2025 | 31.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ophelia (2023) | 23 Sep 2023 | 32.3 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 8 Jul 2021 | 17.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 21 Jun 2021 | 33.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 18.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Michael (2018) | 11 Oct 2018 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Ana (2015) | 11 May 2015 | 20.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 6 Sep 2008 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Ernesto (2006) | 1 Sep 2006 | 24.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Gaston (2004) | 30 Aug 2004 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Isabel (2003) | 18 Sep 2003 | 42.6 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Dennis (1999) | 5 Sep 1999 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 24 Jul 1997 | 11.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Fran (1996) | 6 Sep 1996 | 48.2 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 8 Sep 1987 | 28.8 mi | TD | — |
| Danny (1985) | 18 Aug 1985 | 45.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 16 Sep 1976 | 39.4 mi | TS / TD | 18 kt |
| Ginger (1971) | 2 Oct 1971 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 26 May 1970 | 8.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1967) | 18 Jun 1967 | 28.7 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Cleo (1964) | 31 Aug 1964 | 19.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1964) | 23 Jul 1964 | 38.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 45.5 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 10 Jul 1959 | 6.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 17 Aug 1955 | 33.5 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 14 Sep 1949 | 6.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 2 Aug 1944 | 11.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 6 Sep 1935 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 6 Sep 1916 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 16 May 1916 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 14 Sep 1904 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 16 Jun 1902 | 32.9 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 31 Oct 1899 | 23.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 13 Oct 1893 | 31.0 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 29.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 10 Sep 1888 | 30.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 40.9 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 2 Jul 1886 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1883) | 12 Sep 1883 | 6.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 10 Sep 1881 | 47.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 17 Sep 1876 | 38.5 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 29 Sep 1874 | 24.1 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 25 Oct 1872 | 47.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 17 Sep 1859 | 43.7 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 10 Sep 1854 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 25 Aug 1851 | 42.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 7.6 mi | 40 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | Post-tropical | 7 Jun 2013 | 10.7 mi | 40 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | Post-tropical | 14 Jun 2006 | 42.2 mi | 35 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 34.3 mi | 20 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 4 Sep 1998 | 34.3 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | Post-tropical | 16 Jun 1965 | 37.4 mi | 38 kt |
| Isbell (1964) | Post-tropical | 16 Oct 1964 | 36.0 mi | 35 kt |
| Hazel (1954) | Post-tropical | 15 Oct 1954 | 17.6 mi | 80 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Nash County, North Carolina more than once.
- Danny — 2 passes (1985, 1997)
How Nash 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, Nash County, North Carolina ranks #223 — more exposed than 89.9% of them. Within North Carolina it ranks #34 of 100, against a state average of 37.9 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 31 miles away on 13 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1876) passed 39 miles away on 17 September 1876 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Isabel (2003) passed 43 miles away on 18 September 2003 as a hurricane, reaching 71 kt (82 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Bertha (1996) passed 39 miles away on 13 July 1996 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
43 of the 48 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.6 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 48 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 4 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 19 years, between 1916 and 1935. It has been 0 years since the last one; 43 of the 43 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Nash County, North Carolina?
5 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Nash County, North Carolina at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 48.
When was the last hurricane in Nash County, North Carolina?
Isabel (2003), on 18 September 2003, passing 43 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Chantal (2025) in 2025.
What was the strongest storm to affect Nash County, North Carolina?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 31 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Nash County, North Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.6 years — 48 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
Nash County, North Carolina borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Wilson County, North Carolina has 53 on record.