Bath County, Virginia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1878, 11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bath County, Virginia — about one every 13.5 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Dennis (1999), which passed 27 miles away on 6 September 1999.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentDennis (1999) — 27 mi away, 6 September 1999
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1949) — 50 kt (58 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1927) — 6.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 11
- Peak monthSeptember — 5 storms (45% of all)
- Most active year1979 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1990s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1878–1999
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis (1999) | 6 Sep 1999 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Fran (1996) | 6 Sep 1996 | 16.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 17 Aug 1994 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 25 Jul 1985 | 8.0 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 25.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 14 Jul 1979 | 33.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 50.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 42.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 19 Aug 1939 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 4 Oct 1927 | 6.5 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 13 Sep 1878 | 12.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debby (2024) | Post-tropical | 9 Aug 2024 | 16.4 mi | 30 kt |
| Ida (2021) | Post-tropical | 1 Sep 2021 | 24.3 mi | 28 kt |
| Cindy (2017) | Remnant low | 24 Jun 2017 | 45.7 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 35.8 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 19 Jun 1934 | 31.0 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1905 | 37.2 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Bath County, Virginia more than once.
- Bob — 2 passes (1979, 1985)
How Bath County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Bath County, Virginia ranks #1,225 — more exposed than 44.5% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #117 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1949) passed 42 miles away on 29 August 1949 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 13 miles away on 13 September 1878 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Able (1952) passed 50 miles away on 1 September 1952 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD David (1979) passed 26 miles away on 6 September 1979 as a tropical storm, reaching 40 kt (46 mph) while within 50 miles.
9 of the 11 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 13.5 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 11 storms spread over the 148 years from 1878 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 49 years, between 1878 and 1927. It has been 26 years since the last one; 2 of the 9 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Bath County, Virginia?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Bath County, Virginia while at hurricane strength. 11 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1878, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1949).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Bath County, Virginia?
Dennis (1999), on 6 September 1999, passing 27 miles away — 27 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Bath County, Virginia at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Bath County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1949), which reached 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 42 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Bath County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 13.5 years — 11 storms over the 148 years from 1878 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Bath County, Virginia borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Augusta County, Virginia has 18 on record.