Wharton County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1854, 44 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wharton County, Texas — about one every 3.9 years. Of those, 12 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Beryl (2024), which passed 14 miles away on 8 July 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBeryl (2024) — 14 mi away, 8 July 2024
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1900) — 105 kt (121 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1854) — 0.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Unnamed Storm (1932) — 19.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles15 of 44
- Peak monthSeptember — 17 storms (39% of all)
- Most active year1888 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1940s and 1970s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi5
- Record span1854–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beryl (2024) | 8 Jul 2024 | 13.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Nicholas (2021) | 14 Sep 2021 | 43.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Beta (2020) | 22 Sep 2020 | 23.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Imelda (2019) | 17 Sep 2019 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Harvey (2017) | 28 Aug 2017 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Bill (2015) | 17 Jun 2015 | 42.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Fay (2002) | 7 Sep 2002 | 38.6 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 9 Jun 2001 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Frances (1998) | 12 Sep 1998 | 40.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Dean (1995) | 31 Jul 1995 | 43.2 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Allison (1989) | 26 Jun 1989 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1981) | 5 Jun 1981 | 21.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 6 Sep 1980 | 4.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 20 Jul 1980 | 32.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elena (1979) | 1 Sep 1979 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1977) | 14 Jun 1977 | 6.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1974) | 26 Aug 1974 | 46.5 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1973) | 12 Sep 1973 | 48.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Delia (1973) | 6 Sep 1973 | 18.8 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Abby (1964) | 8 Aug 1964 | 32.0 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Cindy (1963) | 19 Sep 1963 | 16.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Carla (1961) | 12 Sep 1961 | 44.1 mi | Cat 2 | 90 kt |
| Gerda (1958) | 21 Sep 1958 | 48.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Oct 1949 | 39.9 mi | Cat 2 | 95 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 25 Aug 1947 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 28 Aug 1945 | 12.2 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 24 Sep 1941 | 38.0 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 16 Sep 1941 | 36.1 mi | TS / TD | 21 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1938) | 17 Oct 1938 | 41.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 23 Jul 1933 | 2.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | 14 Aug 1932 | 19.3 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1921) | 22 Jun 1921 | 16.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 17 Aug 1915 | 29.8 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 21 Jul 1909 | 6.5 mi | Cat 1 | 69 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 10 Jul 1901 | 30.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 9 Sep 1900 | 39.9 mi | Cat 3 | 98 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 27 Jun 1899 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 5 Jul 1888 | 38.0 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 17 Jun 1888 | 2.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 25 Jun 1880 | 10.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1875) | 17 Sep 1875 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 4 Jul 1874 | 45.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 4 Jun 1871 | 47.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 19 Sep 1854 | 0.8 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of Wharton County, Texas after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Wharton County, Texas more than once.
- Allison — 2 passes (1989, 2001)
How Wharton County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Wharton County, Texas ranks #265 — more exposed than 88.0% of them. Within Texas it ranks #7 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1900) passed 40 miles away on 9 September 1900 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Carla (1961) passed 44 miles away on 12 September 1961 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1932) passed 19 miles away on 14 August 1932 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1915) passed 30 miles away on 17 August 1915 as a hurricane, reaching 99 kt (114 mph) while within 50 miles.
35 of the 44 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.9 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 44 storms spread over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025. 4 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 17 years, between 1854 and 1871. It has been 1 year since the last one; 28 of the 39 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Wharton County, Texas?
12 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wharton County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1854. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 44.
When was the last hurricane in Wharton County, Texas?
Beryl (2024), on 8 July 2024, passing 14 miles away — 2 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Beryl (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Wharton County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1900), which reached 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 40 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Wharton County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.9 years — 44 storms over the 172 years from 1854 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Wharton County, Texas borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Brazoria County, Texas has 51 on record.