Dimmit County, Texas Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1851, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Dimmit County, Texas — about one every 10.9 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Dolly (2008), which passed 39 miles away on 24 July 2008.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDolly (2008) — 39 mi away, 24 July 2008
- Strongest stormCelia (1970) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1916) — 0.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles7 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1980 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1910s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1851–2008
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolly (2008) | 24 Jul 2008 | 38.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Claudette (2003) | 16 Jul 2003 | 11.9 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Bret (1999) | 24 Aug 1999 | 29.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Charley (1998) | 23 Aug 1998 | 24.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 7 Sep 1980 | 40.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Allen (1980) | 11 Aug 1980 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Celia (1970) | 4 Aug 1970 | 22.2 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Alma (1958) | 16 Jun 1958 | 37.0 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Alice (1954) | 26 Jun 1954 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 14 Sep 1936 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 26 Jul 1934 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 15 Sep 1919 | 36.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 19 Aug 1916 | 0.7 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 28 Jun 1913 | 16.6 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 14 Aug 1880 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 26 Jun 1851 | 44.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fay (2002) | Remnant low | 9 Sep 2002 | 31.5 mi | 10 kt |
How Dimmit County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Dimmit County, Texas ranks #963 — more exposed than 56.4% of them. Within Texas it ranks #89 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Celia (1970) passed 22 miles away on 4 August 1970 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 1 miles away on 19 August 1916 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Allen (1980) passed 48 miles away on 11 August 1980 as a tropical storm, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1919) passed 37 miles away on 15 September 1919 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
13 of the 16 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 10.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 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 33 years, between 1880 and 1913. It has been 17 years since the last one; 4 of the 14 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Dimmit County, Texas?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Dimmit County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 16.
When was the last hurricane in Dimmit County, Texas?
Celia (1970), on 4 August 1970, passing 22 miles away — 56 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Dolly (2008) in 2008.
What was the strongest storm to affect Dimmit County, Texas?
Celia (1970), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 22 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Dimmit County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 10.9 years — 16 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
Dimmit County, Texas borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Frio County, Texas has 18 on record.