Highland County, Virginia Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1878, 12 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Highland County, Virginia — about one every 12.3 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Isabel (2003), which passed 39 miles away on 19 September 2003.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentIsabel (2003) — 39 mi away, 19 September 2003
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1896) — 63 kt (72 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordFran (1996) — 2.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles6 of 12
- Peak monthSeptember — 6 storms (50% of all)
- Most active year1979 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1990s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1878–2003
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel (2003) | 19 Sep 2003 | 39.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Dennis (1999) | 6 Sep 1999 | 35.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Fran (1996) | 6 Sep 1996 | 2.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 9.4 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 26 Jul 1985 | 5.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 14 Jul 1979 | 11.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 19 Aug 1939 | 25.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 4 Oct 1927 | 7.5 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 30 Sep 1896 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 13 Sep 1878 | 13.9 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 | 19.7 mi | 30 kt |
| Ida (2021) | Post-tropical | 1 Sep 2021 | 14.3 mi | 28 kt |
| Cindy (2017) | Remnant low | 24 Jun 2017 | 23.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 43.2 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 19 Jun 1934 | 14.4 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1905 | 49.4 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Highland County, Virginia more than once.
- Bob — 2 passes (1979, 1985)
How Highland County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Highland County, Virginia ranks #1,175 — more exposed than 46.8% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #113 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 46 miles away on 30 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isabel (2003) passed 39 miles away on 19 September 2003 as a tropical storm, reaching 52 kt (60 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1949) passed 46 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 14 miles away on 13 September 1878 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
10 of the 12 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 12.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 12 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 31 years, between 1896 and 1927. It has been 22 years since the last one; 2 of the 10 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Highland County, Virginia?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Highland County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1878. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 12.
When was the last hurricane in Highland County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1896), on 30 September 1896, passing 46 miles away — 130 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Isabel (2003) in 2003.
What was the strongest storm to affect Highland County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1896), which reached 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 46 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Highland County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 12.3 years — 12 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
Highland County, Virginia borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Staunton city, Virginia has 19 on record.