Nelson County, Virginia Hurricane History
Since 1878, 19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Nelson County, Virginia — about one every 7.8 years. Of those, 3 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Zeta (2020), which passed 30 miles away on 29 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentZeta (2020) — 30 mi away, 29 October 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordDiane (1955) — 4.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles10 of 19
- Peak monthSeptember — 9 storms (47% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1890s and 2000s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1878–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 30.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | 28 Sep 2004 | 42.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 18 Sep 2004 | 14.5 mi | TS / TD | 16 kt |
| Isabel (2003) | 19 Sep 2003 | 24.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Dennis (1999) | 6 Sep 1999 | 19.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Fran (1996) | 6 Sep 1996 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 25 Jul 1985 | 42.1 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| David (1979) | 6 Sep 1979 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 14 Jul 1979 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 20 Aug 1969 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 18 Aug 1955 | 4.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 5.6 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 29 Aug 1949 | 8.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 4 Oct 1927 | 44.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 30 Sep 1896 | 13.2 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 13 Oct 1893 | 40.4 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 13 Sep 1878 | 39.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 7 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 | 36.9 mi | 30 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 8 Jul 2005 | 15.4 mi | 20 kt |
| Bill (2003) | Post-tropical | 3 Jul 2003 | 47.8 mi | 20 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 16.4 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1905 | 7.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | Post-tropical | 12 Oct 1902 | 37.1 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | Post-tropical | 13 Oct 1885 | 31.2 mi | 40 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Nelson County, Virginia more than once.
- Bob — 2 passes (1979, 1985)
How Nelson County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Nelson County, Virginia ranks #834 — more exposed than 62.2% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #65 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (October 1893) passed 40 miles away on 13 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 13 miles away on 30 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 65 kt (75 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed (August 1893) passed 13 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 58 kt (67 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isabel (2003) passed 24 miles away on 19 September 2003 as a hurricane, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
17 of the 19 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 19 storms spread over the 148 years from 1878 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 22 years, between 1927 and 1949. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 15 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Nelson County, Virginia?
3 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Nelson County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1878. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 19.
When was the last hurricane in Nelson County, Virginia?
Isabel (2003), on 19 September 2003, passing 24 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Zeta (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Nelson County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 40 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Nelson County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.8 years — 19 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
Nelson County, Virginia borders or sits close to 9 other counties with a published storm record. Staunton city, Virginia has 19 on record.