Bell County, Texas Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1888, 18 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bell County, Texas — about one every 7.7 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Bill (2015), which passed 14 miles away on 17 June 2015.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBill (2015) — 14 mi away, 17 June 2015
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1900) — 69 kt (79 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1932) — 6.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 18
- Peak monthSeptember — 7 storms (39% of all)
- Most active year1970 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1940s, 1960s and 1970s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1888–2015
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill (2015) | 17 Jun 2015 | 14.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Frances (1998) | 12 Sep 1998 | 40.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Dean (1995) | 31 Jul 1995 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Chantal (1989) | 2 Aug 1989 | 46.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Carmen (1974) | 10 Sep 1974 | 49.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Felice (1970) | 16 Sep 1970 | 37.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1970) | 2 Sep 1970 | 19.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 16.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Carla (1961) | 12 Sep 1961 | 8.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1960) | 26 Jun 1960 | 32.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 26 Aug 1947 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 29 Aug 1945 | 37.7 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1943) | 29 Jul 1943 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 14 Aug 1932 | 6.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 27 Jun 1902 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 9 Sep 1900 | 29.6 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 13 Sep 1897 | 10.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 18 Jun 1888 | 40.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edouard (2008) | Remnant low | 6 Aug 2008 | 36.6 mi | 24 kt |
How Bell County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Bell County, Texas ranks #874 — more exposed than 60.4% of them. Within Texas it ranks #78 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1900) passed 30 miles away on 9 September 1900 as a hurricane, reaching 69 kt (79 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Carla (1961) passed 8 miles away on 12 September 1961 as a tropical storm, reaching 53 kt (61 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1897) passed 11 miles away on 13 September 1897 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1932) passed 6 miles away on 14 August 1932 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
16 of the 18 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 18 storms spread over the 138 years from 1888 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 30 years, between 1902 and 1932. It has been 10 years since the last one; 5 of the 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Bell County, Texas?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bell County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1888. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 18.
When was the last hurricane in Bell County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1900), on 9 September 1900, passing 30 miles away — 126 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Bill (2015) in 2015.
What was the strongest storm to affect Bell County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1900), which reached 69 kt (79 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 30 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Bell County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.7 years — 18 storms over the 138 years from 1888 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Bell County, Texas borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Falls County, Texas has 27 on record.