Hamilton County, Texas Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1874, 11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hamilton County, Texas — about one every 13.8 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Bill (2015), which passed 42 miles away on 17 June 2015.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentBill (2015) — 42 mi away, 17 June 2015
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1900) — 55 kt (63 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1932) — 3.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles4 of 11
- Peak monthAugust and September — 4 storms (36% of all)
- Most active year1874 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1940s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1874–2015
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill (2015) | 17 Jun 2015 | 41.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Dean (1995) | 1 Aug 1995 | 41.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Felice (1970) | 16 Sep 1970 | 47.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 19.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Carla (1961) | 12 Sep 1961 | 30.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 26 Aug 1947 | 21.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 29 Aug 1945 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1943) | 29 Jul 1943 | 46.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 15 Aug 1932 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 9 Sep 1900 | 42.1 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 7 Sep 1874 | 16.9 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 | 21.1 mi | 21 kt |
How Hamilton County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Hamilton County, Texas ranks #1,221 — more exposed than 44.7% of them. Within Texas it ranks #126 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1900) passed 42 miles away on 9 September 1900 as a hurricane, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Carla (1961) passed 30 miles away on 12 September 1961 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Candy (1968) passed 19 miles away on 24 June 1968 as a tropical depression, reaching 33 kt (38 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1932) passed 4 miles away on 15 August 1932 as a tropical depression, reaching 31 kt (36 mph) while within 50 miles.
10 of the 11 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 13.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 11 storms spread over the 152 years from 1874 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 32 years, between 1900 and 1932. It has been 10 years since the last one; 6 of the 10 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Hamilton County, Texas?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Hamilton County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1874. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 11.
When was the last hurricane in Hamilton County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1900), on 9 September 1900, passing 42 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 Hamilton County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1900), which reached 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 42 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Hamilton County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 13.8 years — 11 storms over the 152 years from 1874 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Hamilton County, Texas borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Bosque County, Texas has 18 on record.