Wilson County, Texas Hurricane History
Since 1866, 22 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wilson County, Texas — about one every 7.3 years. Of those, 5 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Harvey (2017), which passed 31 miles away on 27 August 2017.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHarvey (2017) — 31 mi away, 27 August 2017
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1886) — 94 kt (108 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1942) — 3.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles12 of 22
- Peak monthAugust and September — 6 storms (27% of all)
- Most active year1874 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s, 1960s and 2000s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1866–2017
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey (2017) | 27 Aug 2017 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Hermine (2010) | 7 Sep 2010 | 26.2 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Erin (2007) | 16 Aug 2007 | 8.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Claudette (2003) | 15 Jul 2003 | 45.8 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Fay (2002) | 7 Sep 2002 | 16.1 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Danielle (1980) | 6 Sep 1980 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1970) | 2 Sep 1970 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Candy (1968) | 24 Jun 1968 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Abby (1964) | 8 Aug 1964 | 19.0 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1960) | 24 Jun 1960 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1942) | 30 Aug 1942 | 3.3 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 28 Jun 1936 | 25.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | 29 Jun 1929 | 5.2 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 17 Oct 1912 | 22.5 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 22 Jul 1909 | 40.2 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 27 Jun 1902 | 46.5 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 24 Sep 1886 | 46.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 20 Aug 1886 | 4.8 mi | Cat 1 | 81 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 14 Aug 1881 | 7.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 6 Sep 1874 | 25.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 5 Jul 1874 | 23.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | 16 Jul 1866 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
No system on record passed within 50 miles of Wilson County, Texas after losing tropical characteristics, so every storm listed above was still a tropical or subtropical cyclone at its closest approach.
How Wilson County, Texas compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Wilson County, Texas ranks #738 — more exposed than 66.6% of them. Within Texas it ranks #68 of 223, against a state average of 15.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1886) passed 5 miles away on 20 August 1886 as a hurricane, reaching 94 kt (108 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1942) passed 3 miles away on 30 August 1942 as a hurricane, reaching 81 kt (93 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1929) passed 5 miles away on 29 June 1929 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Harvey (2017) passed 31 miles away on 27 August 2017 as a tropical storm, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
18 of the 22 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 22 storms spread over the 160 years from 1866 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 22 years, between 1980 and 2002. It has been 8 years since the last one; 5 of the 19 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Wilson County, Texas?
5 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Wilson County, Texas at hurricane strength since 1866. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 22.
When was the last hurricane in Wilson County, Texas?
Claudette (2003), on 15 July 2003, passing 46 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 Wilson County, Texas?
Unnamed Storm (1886), which reached 94 kt (108 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 5 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Wilson County, Texas?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.3 years — 22 storms over the 160 years from 1866 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Wilson County, Texas borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Karnes County, Texas has 28 on record.