Webb County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1869, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Webb County, Texas — about one every 9.8 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Harold (2023), which passed 17 miles away on 22 August 2023.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHarold (2023) — 17 mi away, 22 August 2023
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1916) — 75 kt (86 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1919) — 5.9 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles9 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1958 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1910s and 1950s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1869–2023
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harold (2023) | 22 Aug 2023 | 16.6 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Dolly (2008) | 24 Jul 2008 | 16.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bret (1999) | 23 Aug 1999 | 8.6 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Allen (1980) | 10 Aug 1980 | 17.9 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Beulah (1967) | 21 Sep 1967 | 38.0 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Ella (1958) | 6 Sep 1958 | 18.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Alma (1958) | 15 Jun 1958 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Alice (1954) | 26 Jun 1954 | 22.8 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 14 Sep 1936 | 13.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 26 Jul 1934 | 35.0 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1925) | 7 Sep 1925 | 36.7 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 15 Sep 1919 | 5.9 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 19 Aug 1916 | 22.1 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 28 Jun 1913 | 33.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 13 Aug 1880 | 37.9 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 17 Aug 1869 | 49.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 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 | 14.9 mi | 10 kt |
How Webb County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Webb County, Texas ranks #967 — more exposed than 56.2% of them. Within Texas it ranks #93 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 22 miles away on 19 August 1916 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Allen (1980) passed 18 miles away on 10 August 1980 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1919) passed 6 miles away on 15 September 1919 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1880) passed 38 miles away on 13 August 1880 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 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 9.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 157 years from 1869 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 2 years since the last one; 13 of the 14 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Webb County, Texas?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Webb County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1869. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 16.
When was the last hurricane in Webb County, Texas?
Allen (1980), on 10 August 1980, passing 18 miles away — 46 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Harold (2023) in 2023.
What was the strongest storm to affect Webb County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1916), which reached 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 22 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Webb County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 9.8 years — 16 storms over the 157 years from 1869 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Webb County, Texas borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Duval County, Texas has 25 on record.