Cumberland County, Virginia Hurricane History
Since 1882, 19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Cumberland County, Virginia — about one every 7.6 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Jeanne (2004), which passed 11 miles away on 28 September 2004.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentJeanne (2004) — 11 mi away, 28 September 2004
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 72 kt (83 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1893) — 3.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles6 of 19
- Peak monthSeptember — 8 storms (42% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1890s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1882–2004
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanne (2004) | 28 Sep 2004 | 10.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 18 Sep 2004 | 18.4 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Isabel (2003) | 19 Sep 2003 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 14 Jul 1979 | 36.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 17 Sep 1976 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Ginger (1971) | 2 Oct 1971 | 37.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 20 Aug 1969 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 18 Aug 1955 | 29.4 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 47.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 2 Aug 1944 | 32.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 31 Oct 1899 | 39.7 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 30 Sep 1896 | 33.2 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 13 Oct 1893 | 3.8 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 32.9 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 23 Jun 1886 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1883) | 12 Sep 1883 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 11 Sep 1882 | 46.8 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 12 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. Showing the 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ophelia (2023) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2023 | 39.9 mi | 23 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | Post-tropical | 29 Oct 2020 | 19.6 mi | 45 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 8 Jul 2005 | 19.5 mi | 20 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 29.6 mi | 21 kt |
| Hazel (1954) | Post-tropical | 15 Oct 1954 | 19.4 mi | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 1945 | 20.6 mi | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 2 Oct 1929 | 37.8 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1928 | 45.2 mi | 53 kt |
How Cumberland County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Cumberland County, Virginia ranks #833 — more exposed than 62.3% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #64 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (October 1893) passed 4 miles away on 13 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 33 miles away on 30 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isabel (2003) passed 9 miles away on 19 September 2003 as a hurricane, reaching 62 kt (71 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (August 1893) passed 33 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
16 of the 19 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.6 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 19 storms spread over the 144 years from 1882 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 29 years, between 1915 and 1944. It has been 21 years since the last one; 2 of the 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Cumberland County, Virginia?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Cumberland County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1882. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 19.
When was the last hurricane in Cumberland County, Virginia?
Isabel (2003), on 19 September 2003, passing 9 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Jeanne (2004) in 2004.
What was the strongest storm to affect Cumberland County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 72 kt (83 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 4 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Cumberland County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.6 years — 19 storms over the 144 years from 1882 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Cumberland County, Virginia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Amelia County, Virginia has 23 on record.