Clarke County, Virginia Hurricane History
Since 1876, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Clarke County, Virginia — about one every 9.4 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Dennis (1999), which passed 10 miles away on 7 September 1999.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDennis (1999) — 10 mi away, 7 September 1999
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1878) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordDennis (1999) — 10.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles8 of 16
- Peak monthAugust — 7 storms (44% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1890s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1876–1999
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis (1999) | 7 Sep 1999 | 10.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 11.8 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 18 Aug 1955 | 13.5 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 21.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 10.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 19 Aug 1939 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 24 Aug 1933 | 44.7 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 32.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 30 Sep 1896 | 37.8 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 23 Oct 1893 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 14 Oct 1893 | 17.4 mi | Cat 1 | 64 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 29.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1883) | 13 Sep 1883 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 43.2 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 18 Sep 1876 | 23.0 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2021) | Post-tropical | 1 Sep 2021 | 1.9 mi | 31 kt |
| Cindy (2017) | Remnant low | 24 Jun 2017 | 31.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 14.3 mi | 20 kt |
| Hazel (1954) | Post-tropical | 15 Oct 1954 | 31.5 mi | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 19 Jun 1934 | 9.4 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | Post-tropical | 20 Sep 1928 | 8.5 mi | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1905 | 45.3 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | Post-tropical | 13 Oct 1885 | 8.0 mi | 40 kt |
How Clarke County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Clarke County, Virginia ranks #969 — more exposed than 56.1% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #93 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 43 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 17 miles away on 14 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 38 miles away on 30 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1876) passed 23 miles away on 18 September 1876 as a tropical storm, reaching 58 kt (67 mph) while within 50 miles.
15 of the 16 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 9.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 150 years from 1876 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 24 years, between 1955 and 1979. It has been 26 years since the last one; 0 of the 13 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Clarke County, Virginia?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Clarke County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1876. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 16.
When was the last hurricane in Clarke County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1896), on 30 September 1896, passing 38 miles away — 130 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Dennis (1999) in 1999.
What was the strongest storm to affect Clarke County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1878), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 43 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Clarke County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 9.4 years — 16 storms over the 150 years from 1876 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Clarke County, Virginia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Fauquier County, Virginia has 18 on record.