Sussex County, Virginia Hurricane History
Since 1859, 38 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sussex County, Virginia — about one every 4.4 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Chantal (2025), which passed 9 miles away on 7 July 2025.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentChantal (2025) — 9 mi away, 7 July 2025
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1878) — 88 kt (101 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1904) — 5.2 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles19 of 38
- Peak monthSeptember — 17 storms (45% of all)
- Most active year1886 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1880s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1859–2025
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chantal (2025) | 7 Jul 2025 | 8.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 9 Jul 2021 | 11.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 8.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Ana (2015) | 11 May 2015 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 6 Sep 2008 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Gaston (2004) | 30 Aug 2004 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Isabel (2003) | 19 Sep 2003 | 28.9 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 24 Jul 1997 | 47.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 21.2 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 15 Jul 1979 | 49.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 17 Sep 1976 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Ginger (1971) | 2 Oct 1971 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 27 May 1970 | 32.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 20 Aug 1969 | 19.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Cleo (1964) | 1 Sep 1964 | 43.3 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 36.9 mi | TS / TD | 51 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 10 Jul 1959 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 14 Sep 1949 | 22.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 2 Aug 1944 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 6 Sep 1935 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | 3 Sep 1934 | 13.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1933) | 23 Aug 1933 | 43.0 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 7 Sep 1916 | 32.8 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 16 May 1916 | 33.4 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 15 Sep 1904 | 5.2 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 31 Oct 1899 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 24 Sep 1889 | 9.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 11 Sep 1888 | 17.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 2 Jul 1886 | 7.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 23 Jun 1886 | 48.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1883) | 12 Sep 1883 | 35.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 11 Sep 1882 | 24.1 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 10 Sep 1881 | 48.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 13.8 mi | Cat 2 | 87 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1876) | 17 Sep 1876 | 12.2 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 29 Sep 1874 | 16.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 25 Oct 1872 | 28.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 17 Sep 1859 | 14.2 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 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ophelia (2023) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2023 | 18.8 mi | 28 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 19.0 mi | 40 kt |
| Michael (2018) | Post-tropical | 12 Oct 2018 | 20.3 mi | 52 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | Post-tropical | 7 Jun 2013 | 23.0 mi | 40 kt |
| Ernesto (2006) | Post-tropical | 1 Sep 2006 | 10.3 mi | 40 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 38.7 mi | 21 kt |
| Danny (1985) | Post-tropical | 19 Aug 1985 | 1.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Hazel (1954) | Post-tropical | 15 Oct 1954 | 49.5 mi | 77 kt |
How Sussex County, Virginia compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Sussex County, Virginia ranks #373 — more exposed than 83.1% of them. Within Virginia it ranks #24 of 133, against a state average of 23.5 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 14 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 88 kt (101 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Isabel (2003) passed 29 miles away on 19 September 2003 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1933) passed 43 miles away on 23 August 1933 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1876) passed 12 miles away on 17 September 1876 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
34 of the 38 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 4.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 38 storms spread over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 17 years, between 1916 and 1933. It has been 0 years since the last one; 35 of the 35 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Sussex County, Virginia?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Sussex County, Virginia at hurricane strength since 1859. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 38.
When was the last hurricane in Sussex County, Virginia?
Isabel (2003), on 19 September 2003, passing 29 miles away — 23 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Chantal (2025) in 2025.
What was the strongest storm to affect Sussex County, Virginia?
Unnamed Storm (1878), which reached 88 kt (101 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 14 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Sussex County, Virginia?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.4 years — 38 storms over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Sussex County, Virginia borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Southampton County, Virginia has 49 on record.