Gloucester County, Virginia Hurricane History

No active tropical cyclones are within 500 miles of Gloucester County, Virginia as of Thursday, 10 September 2026. Official forecasts at nhc.noaa.gov.

Since 1856, 40 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Gloucester County, Virginia — about one every 4.2 years. Of those, 5 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Elsa (2021), which passed 14 miles away on 9 July 2021.

Storms within 50 mi

At hurricane strength

4.2

Avg. years between

Years since the last

Storm tracks within 50 miles

TS / TDCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5

Each line is one storm track, coloured by the strongest category it reached while within 50 miles. The dashed ring marks that 50-mile radius; hairlines are one-degree graticule. Source: NOAA NHC HURDAT2.

How strong they get

Cat 2 · 1Cat 1 · 5TS / TD · 34

The 40 storms by the strongest category each reached while within 50 miles. 1 of them reached Cat 2.

Key facts

Most recentElsa (2021) — 14 mi away, 9 July 2021
Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1878) — 85 kt (98 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
Closest pass on recordBob (1979) — 3.4 miles
Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
Passes within 25 miles20 of 40
Peak monthSeptember — 18 storms (45% of all)
Most active year1882 — 2 storms
Most active decade1880s — 6 storms
Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
Record span1856–2021

When storms arrive

JFMAMJJASOND

Storms by month of closest approach; the peak is highlighted and labelled. In Gloucester County, Virginia, September is the most active month, with 18 of the 40 recorded storms (45%). The primary season runs July to September, accounting for 80% of all activity. The 1880s was the most active decade on record, with 6 storms. 0 of the 40 storms were major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) while within 50 miles.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0	0	0	0	1	1	7	7	18	6	0	0

Activity by decade

19002000

Tropical cyclones passing within 50 miles, by decade, 1850s to 2020s. Decades with no storms are shown as empty columns. Comparing two equal 38-year windows inside the aircraft-reconnaissance era: 11 storms in 1950–1987 against 8 in 1988–2025.

1850s	1860s	1870s	1880s	1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	2	4	6	2	1	0	0	3	1	2	4	3	2	2	3	1	2

Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles

Storm	Closest approach	Distance	Status	Wind
Elsa (2021)	9 Jul 2021	14.2 mi	TS / TD	48 kt
Isaias (2020)	4 Aug 2020	25.5 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Ana (2015)	11 May 2015	27.8 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Hanna (2008)	6 Sep 2008	22.7 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Jeanne (2004)	28 Sep 2004	49.0 mi	TS / TD	25 kt
Gaston (2004)	31 Aug 2004	12.8 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Floyd (1999)	16 Sep 1999	41.5 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Bertha (1996)	13 Jul 1996	6.8 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Dean (1983)	30 Sep 1983	22.6 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Bret (1981)	1 Jul 1981	13.7 mi	TS / TD	28 kt
Bob (1979)	15 Jul 1979	3.4 mi	TS / TD	20 kt
Ginger (1971)	3 Oct 1971	9.5 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Doria (1971)	28 Aug 1971	28.5 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Camille (1969)	20 Aug 1969	19.6 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1963)	3 Jun 1963	26.9 mi	TS / TD	43 kt
Unnamed Storm (1961)	14 Sep 1961	35.6 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Brenda (1960)	30 Jul 1960	14.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Cindy (1959)	10 Jul 1959	32.1 mi	TS / TD	41 kt
Connie (1955)	13 Aug 1955	19.2 mi	TS / TD	62 kt
Unnamed Storm (1943)	1 Oct 1943	47.3 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Unnamed Storm (1935)	6 Sep 1935	35.9 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1934)	3 Sep 1934	28.9 mi	TS / TD	30 kt
Unnamed Storm (1933)	23 Aug 1933	9.7 mi	Cat 1	65 kt
Unnamed Storm (1904)	15 Sep 1904	11.8 mi	TS / TD	58 kt
Unnamed Storm (1899)	31 Oct 1899	50.0 mi	TS / TD	51 kt
Unnamed Storm (1894)	10 Oct 1894	45.8 mi	Cat 1	64 kt
Unnamed Storm (1889)	25 Sep 1889	14.2 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1888)	11 Sep 1888	24.7 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1886)	2 Jul 1886	10.2 mi	TS / TD	35 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	23 Sep 1882	32.0 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1882)	11 Sep 1882	10.9 mi	TS / TD	45 kt
Unnamed Storm (1881)	10 Sep 1881	40.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1878)	23 Oct 1878	31.9 mi	Cat 2	85 kt
Unnamed Storm (1876)	17 Sep 1876	42.8 mi	TS / TD	63 kt
Unnamed Storm (1874)	29 Sep 1874	6.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1872)	25 Oct 1872	5.4 mi	TS / TD	40 kt
Unnamed Storm (1863)	18 Sep 1863	28.1 mi	TS / TD	50 kt
Unnamed Storm (1861)	27 Sep 1861	31.3 mi	TS / TD	60 kt
Unnamed Storm (1859)	17 Sep 1859	6.8 mi	TS / TD	53 kt
Unnamed Storm (1856)	20 Aug 1856	38.8 mi	TS / TD	50 kt

Post-tropical and extratropical passes

A further 16 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 9 most recent.

Storm	Status	Closest approach	Distance	Wind
Chantal (2025)	Remnant low	7 Jul 2025	6.4 mi	23 kt
Nestor (2019)	Post-tropical	20 Oct 2019	24.5 mi	40 kt
Michael (2018)	Post-tropical	12 Oct 2018	36.1 mi	55 kt
Andrea (2013)	Post-tropical	8 Jun 2013	17.8 mi	40 kt
Ernesto (2006)	Post-tropical	2 Sep 2006	18.7 mi	40 kt
Charley (2004)	Post-tropical	15 Aug 2004	48.9 mi	40 kt
Gordon (2000)	Post-tropical	19 Sep 2000	39.6 mi	22 kt
Danny (1985)	Post-tropical	19 Aug 1985	18.1 mi	25 kt
Unnamed Storm (1924)	Post-tropical	30 Sep 1924	29.8 mi	63 kt

About this data. Computed from NOAA's HURDAT2 Atlantic and Northeast Pacific hurricane databases (hurdat2-1851-2025-02272026.txt), covering 1856–2025. Tracks are recorded every six hours and are interpolated to one-hour steps before distances are measured, so closest-approach figures are not distorted by the sampling interval. Distances are measured to the county's Census internal point, not to its nearest boundary, so a storm listed at 55 miles may still have crossed the coastline — see Methodology. Records before about 1900 are sparser and less precise than modern ones, and storms that stayed at sea were less likely to be recorded at all.

How Gloucester County, Virginia compares

Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Gloucester County, Virginia ranks #329 — more exposed than 85.1% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #18 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.

Notable storms

Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 32 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Connie (1955) passed 19 miles away on 13 August 1955 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1933) passed 10 miles away on 23 August 1933 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
Cat 1 Floyd (1999) passed 41 miles away on 16 September 1999 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.

35 of the 40 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.

How often to expect a storm

A return interval of 4.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 40 storms spread over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025. 3 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 1904 and 1933. It has been 4 years since the last one; 13 of the 36 gaps in this record were longer than that.

Common questions

How many hurricanes have hit Gloucester County, Virginia?

5 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Gloucester County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1856. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 40.

When was the last hurricane in Gloucester County, Virginia?

Floyd (1999), on 16 September 1999, passing 41 miles away — 27 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Elsa (2021) in 2021.

What was the strongest storm to affect Gloucester County, Virginia?

Unnamed Storm (1878), which reached 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 32 miles.

How often do hurricanes hit Gloucester County, Virginia?

On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.2 years — 40 storms over the 170 years from 1856 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.

Nearby counties

Gloucester County, Virginia borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. York County, Virginia has 43 on record.

York County, Virginia43 storms within 50 mi Mathews County, Virginia43 storms within 50 mi Middlesex County, Virginia41 storms within 50 mi James City County, Virginia38 storms within 50 mi Williamsburg city, Virginia37 storms within 50 mi King and Queen County, Virginia32 storms within 50 mi