Orange County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1863, 41 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orange County, Texas — about one every 4.0 years. Of those, 14 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Nicholas (2021), which passed 2 miles away on 15 September 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentNicholas (2021) — 2 mi away, 15 September 2021
- Strongest stormLaura (2020) — 130 kt (150 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordRita (2005) — 1.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Rita (2005) — 1.6 miles
- Passes within 25 miles19 of 41
- Peak monthSeptember — 18 storms (44% of all)
- Most active year1886 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1980s and 2000s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi5
- Record span1863–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas (2021) | 15 Sep 2021 | 1.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Laura (2020) | 27 Aug 2020 | 36.0 mi | Cat 4 | 122 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 30 Aug 2017 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Cindy (2017) | 22 Jun 2017 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Edouard (2008) | 5 Aug 2008 | 39.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Humberto (2007) | 13 Sep 2007 | 7.1 mi | Cat 1 | 71 kt |
| Rita (2005) | 24 Sep 2005 | 1.6 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 24 Sep 2004 | 11.5 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (2000) | 9 Sep 2000 | 10.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Chantal (1989) | 1 Aug 1989 | 47.1 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 10 Aug 1987 | 36.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bonnie (1986) | 26 Jun 1986 | 28.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Chris (1982) | 11 Sep 1982 | 13.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 5 Sep 1980 | 49.9 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Claudette (1979) | 24 Jul 1979 | 3.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Debra (1978) | 29 Aug 1978 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Carmen (1974) | 9 Sep 1974 | 48.9 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 8 Jul 1971 | 23.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Cindy (1963) | 17 Sep 1963 | 42.1 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Bertha (1957) | 10 Aug 1957 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Audrey (1957) | 27 Jun 1957 | 16.9 mi | Cat 3 | 102 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 28 Aug 1955 | 28.0 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Barbara (1954) | 29 Jul 1954 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1946) | 16 Jun 1946 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 15 Sep 1941 | 36.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 24 Sep 1940 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 7 Aug 1940 | 31.4 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 15 Aug 1938 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1918) | 6 Aug 1918 | 26.0 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 19 Sep 1914 | 14.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | 29 Jul 1908 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 28 Sep 1898 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 13 Sep 1897 | 25.4 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1895) | 7 Oct 1895 | 18.2 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 13 Oct 1886 | 17.6 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 14 Jun 1886 | 8.2 mi | Cat 1 | 81 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 15 Sep 1882 | 9.2 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 23 Aug 1879 | 24.8 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 18 Sep 1875 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1865) | 13 Sep 1865 | 26.1 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 30 Sep 1863 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 2 systems 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 23 Sep 2020 | 9.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Allison (1989) | Post-tropical | 28 Jun 1989 | 30.2 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Orange County, Texas more than once.
- Cindy — 2 passes (1963, 2017)
How Orange County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Orange County, Texas ranks #307 — more exposed than 86.1% of them. Within Texas it ranks #11 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Laura (2020) passed 36 miles away on 27 August 2020 as a hurricane, reaching 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Audrey (1957) passed 17 miles away on 27 June 1957 as a hurricane, reaching 110 kt (127 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1918) passed 26 miles away on 6 August 1918 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1886) passed 18 miles away on 13 October 1886 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
33 of the 41 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 4.0 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 41 storms spread over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025. 4 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 20 years, between 1918 and 1938. It has been 4 years since the last one; 11 of the 36 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Orange County, Texas?
14 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orange County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1863. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 41.
When was the last hurricane in Orange County, Texas?
Laura (2020), on 27 August 2020, passing 36 miles away — 6 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Nicholas (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Orange County, Texas?
Laura (2020), which reached 130 kt (150 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 36 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Orange County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.0 years — 41 storms over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Orange County, Texas borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Jefferson County, Texas has 46 on record.