Karnes County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1851, 28 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Karnes County, Texas — about one every 6.2 years. Of those, 6 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Harvey (2017), which passed 22 miles away on 26 August 2017.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHarvey (2017) — 22 mi away, 26 August 2017
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1886) — 112 kt (129 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAbby (1964) — 0.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1886) — 8.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles14 of 28
- Peak monthSeptember — 10 storms (36% of all)
- Most active year1874 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1960s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
- Record span1851–2017
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey (2017) | 26 Aug 2017 | 22.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Hermine (2010) | 7 Sep 2010 | 35.5 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Erin (2007) | 16 Aug 2007 | 5.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Claudette (2003) | 15 Jul 2003 | 26.5 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Fay (2002) | 7 Sep 2002 | 8.0 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Frances (1998) | 11 Sep 1998 | 38.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Charley (1998) | 22 Aug 1998 | 44.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 6 Sep 1980 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1970) | 2 Sep 1970 | 24.3 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 31.5 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Abby (1964) | 8 Aug 1964 | 0.6 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Cindy (1963) | 19 Sep 1963 | 38.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1960) | 25 Jun 1960 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Gerda (1958) | 21 Sep 1958 | 32.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1942) | 30 Aug 1942 | 12.9 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 28 Jun 1936 | 21.6 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | 29 Jun 1929 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 17 Oct 1912 | 5.1 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 27 Jun 1902 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 24 Sep 1886 | 30.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 20 Aug 1886 | 8.3 mi | Cat 2 | 94 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 14 Aug 1881 | 8.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 17 Sep 1875 | 34.2 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 6 Sep 1874 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 5 Jul 1874 | 30.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 17 Aug 1869 | 47.5 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | 16 Jul 1866 | 23.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 26 Jun 1851 | 39.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of Karnes County, Texas after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
How Karnes County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Karnes County, Texas ranks #572 — more exposed than 74.1% of them. Within Texas it ranks #44 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1886) passed 8 miles away on 20 August 1886 as a hurricane, reaching 112 kt (129 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1942) passed 13 miles away on 30 August 1942 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1875) passed 34 miles away on 17 September 1875 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Harvey (2017) passed 22 miles away on 26 August 2017 as a tropical storm, reaching 78 kt (90 mph) while within 50 miles.
24 of the 28 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 28 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 3 separate years 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 8 years since the last one; 7 of the 24 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Karnes County, Texas?
6 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Karnes County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 28.
When was the last hurricane in Karnes County, Texas?
Claudette (2003), on 15 July 2003, passing 26 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Harvey (2017) in 2017.
What was the strongest storm to affect Karnes County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1886), which reached 112 kt (129 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 8 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Karnes County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.2 years — 28 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
Karnes County, Texas borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Bee County, Texas has 31 on record.