DeWitt County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1866, 27 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of DeWitt County, Texas — about one every 5.9 years. Of those, 8 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Beta (2020), which passed 39 miles away on 22 September 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBeta (2020) — 39 mi away, 22 September 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1886) — 112 kt (129 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordHarvey (2017) — 2.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Carla (1961) — 22.4 miles
- Passes within 25 miles18 of 27
- Peak monthSeptember — 10 storms (37% of all)
- Most active year1886 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1960s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
- Record span1866–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (2020) | 22 Sep 2020 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 27 Aug 2017 | 2.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Bill (2015) | 17 Jun 2015 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Erin (2007) | 16 Aug 2007 | 32.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Claudette (2003) | 15 Jul 2003 | 35.7 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Fay (2002) | 7 Sep 2002 | 5.5 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Frances (1998) | 11 Sep 1998 | 26.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 6 Sep 1980 | 3.2 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1970) | 2 Sep 1970 | 9.2 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 5.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Abby (1964) | 8 Aug 1964 | 12.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Cindy (1963) | 19 Sep 1963 | 21.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Carla (1961) | 12 Sep 1961 | 22.4 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1960) | 26 Jun 1960 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Gerda (1958) | 21 Sep 1958 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1942) | 30 Aug 1942 | 13.3 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | 29 Jun 1929 | 12.6 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 17 Oct 1912 | 21.7 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 22 Jul 1909 | 29.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 27 Jun 1902 | 6.4 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 10 Jul 1901 | 28.4 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 24 Sep 1886 | 2.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 20 Aug 1886 | 30.1 mi | Cat 2 | 94 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 14 Aug 1881 | 24.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 17 Sep 1875 | 10.3 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 5 Jul 1874 | 3.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | 15 Jul 1866 | 33.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of DeWitt County, Texas after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
How DeWitt County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, DeWitt County, Texas ranks #596 — more exposed than 73.0% of them. Within Texas it ranks #46 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1886) passed 30 miles away on 20 August 1886 as a hurricane, reaching 112 kt (129 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Carla (1961) passed 22 miles away on 12 September 1961 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1942) passed 13 miles away on 30 August 1942 as a hurricane, reaching 90 kt (104 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Harvey (2017) passed 2 miles away on 27 August 2017 as a tropical storm, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
24 of the 27 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 5.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 27 storms spread over the 160 years from 1866 to 2025. 1 separate year 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 18 years, between 1980 and 1998. It has been 5 years since the last one; 10 of the 25 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit DeWitt County, Texas?
8 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of DeWitt County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1866. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 27.
When was the last hurricane in DeWitt County, Texas?
Claudette (2003), on 15 July 2003, passing 36 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Beta (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect DeWitt County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1886), which reached 112 kt (129 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 30 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit DeWitt County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 5.9 years — 27 storms over the 160 years from 1866 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
DeWitt County, Texas borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Victoria County, Texas has 32 on record.