Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico Hurricane History
Since 1852, 46 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico — about one every 3.8 years. Of those, 23 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Ernesto (2024), which passed 35 miles away on 14 August 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentErnesto (2024) — 35 mi away, 14 August 2024
- Strongest stormIrma (2017) — 150 kt (173 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordKaren (2019) — 2.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Hugo (1989) — 3.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles21 of 46
- Peak monthSeptember — 20 storms (43% of all)
- Most active year1916 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2010s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi10
- Record span1852–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernesto (2024) | 14 Aug 2024 | 34.5 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Laura (2020) | 22 Aug 2020 | 35.8 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Karen (2019) | 24 Sep 2019 | 2.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Dorian (2019) | 28 Aug 2019 | 28.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Maria (2017) | 20 Sep 2017 | 22.9 mi | Cat 5 | 138 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 6 Sep 2017 | 49.0 mi | Cat 5 | 150 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 22 Aug 2011 | 7.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Olga (2007) | 11 Dec 2007 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 15 Sep 2004 | 28.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Dean (2001) | 22 Aug 2001 | 33.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Debby (2000) | 22 Aug 2000 | 46.4 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Jose (1999) | 21 Oct 1999 | 47.9 mi | TS / TD | 59 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 21 Sep 1998 | 12.3 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 8 Jul 1996 | 47.3 mi | Cat 1 | 76 kt |
| Marilyn (1995) | 16 Sep 1995 | 28.1 mi | Cat 2 | 94 kt |
| Hugo (1989) | 18 Sep 1989 | 3.3 mi | Cat 3 | 112 kt |
| Klaus (1984) | 7 Nov 1984 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Gert (1981) | 8 Sep 1981 | 17.3 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Frederic (1979) | 4 Sep 1979 | 2.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Claudette (1979) | 18 Jul 1979 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Christine (1973) | 4 Sep 1973 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 23 Aug 1971 | 31.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Betsy (1956) | 12 Aug 1956 | 29.2 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Dolly (1953) | 8 Sep 1953 | 18.3 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Baker (1950) | 23 Aug 1950 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 3 Sep 1949 | 26.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 26 Jul 1933 | 33.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 27 Sep 1932 | 4.6 mi | Cat 4 | 117 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 11 Sep 1931 | 26.0 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1931) | 17 Aug 1931 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 13 Sep 1928 | 21.2 mi | Cat 5 | 140 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 29 Aug 1924 | 43.2 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 18 Aug 1924 | 22.5 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 22 Aug 1916 | 17.9 mi | Cat 2 | 92 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 13 Jul 1916 | 12.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1910) | 6 Sep 1910 | 43.2 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 11 Sep 1901 | 15.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 8 Aug 1899 | 29.7 mi | Cat 4 | 122 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 28 Oct 1898 | 47.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 14 Oct 1894 | 30.8 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 16 Aug 1893 | 19.9 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 3 Sep 1889 | 48.8 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 28 Nov 1878 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 13 Sep 1876 | 7.8 mi | Cat 2 | 93 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 29 Oct 1867 | 17.2 mi | Cat 2 | 93 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 5 Sep 1852 | 41.3 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 1 system 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noel (2007) | Remnant low | 26 Oct 2007 | 7.7 mi | 25 kt |
How Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico ranks #249 — more exposed than 88.7% of them. Within Puerto Rico it ranks #6 of 78, against a territory average of 38.4 storms per municipio.
Notable storms
- Cat 5 Irma (2017) passed 49 miles away on 6 September 2017 as a hurricane, reaching 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 5 Maria (2017) passed 23 miles away on 20 September 2017 as a hurricane, reaching 140 kt (161 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 5 Unnamed Storm (1928) passed 21 miles away on 13 September 1928 as a hurricane, reaching 140 kt (161 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Unnamed Storm (1932) passed 5 miles away on 27 September 1932 as a hurricane, reaching 125 kt (144 mph) while within 50 miles.
25 of the 46 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 46 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 6 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 16 years, between 1933 and 1949. It has been 1 year since the last one; 29 of the 39 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico?
23 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 46.
When was the last hurricane in Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico?
Dorian (2019), on 28 August 2019, passing 29 miles away — 7 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Ernesto (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico?
Irma (2017), which reached 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 49 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.8 years — 46 storms over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby municipios
Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico borders or sits close to 4 other municipios with a published storm record. Culebra Municipio, Puerto Rico has 49 on record.