Bastrop County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1875, 18 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bastrop County, Texas — about one every 8.4 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Bill (2015), which passed 15 miles away on 17 June 2015.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBill (2015) — 15 mi away, 17 June 2015
- Strongest stormCarla (1961) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1970) — 4.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 18
- Peak monthSeptember — 7 storms (39% of all)
- Most active year1875 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1900s and 1960s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1875–2015
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill (2015) | 17 Jun 2015 | 14.6 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Frances (1998) | 12 Sep 1998 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Delia (1973) | 6 Sep 1973 | 7.5 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1970) | 2 Sep 1970 | 4.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Carla (1961) | 12 Sep 1961 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1960) | 26 Jun 1960 | 9.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Gerda (1958) | 21 Sep 1958 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 25 Aug 1947 | 48.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 14 Aug 1932 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 17 Aug 1915 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 18 Oct 1912 | 43.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 22 Jul 1909 | 38.6 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 27 Jun 1902 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 10 Jul 1901 | 25.5 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 18 Jun 1888 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 24 Sep 1886 | 19.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 17 Sep 1875 | 44.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of Bastrop County, Texas after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
How Bastrop County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Bastrop County, Texas ranks #873 — more exposed than 60.5% of them. Within Texas it ranks #77 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Carla (1961) passed 9 miles away on 12 September 1961 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1875) passed 45 miles away on 17 September 1875 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1932) passed 28 miles away on 14 August 1932 as a hurricane, reaching 56 kt (64 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1915) passed 47 miles away on 17 August 1915 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
15 of the 18 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 8.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 18 storms spread over the 151 years from 1875 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 25 years, between 1973 and 1998. It has been 10 years since the last one; 7 of the 17 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Bastrop County, Texas?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bastrop County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1875. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 18.
When was the last hurricane in Bastrop County, Texas?
Carla (1961), on 12 September 1961, passing 9 miles away — 65 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Bill (2015) in 2015.
What was the strongest storm to affect Bastrop County, Texas?
Carla (1961), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 9 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Bastrop County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.4 years — 18 storms over the 151 years from 1875 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Bastrop County, Texas borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Fayette County, Texas has 29 on record.