New Orleans, Louisiana's History with Tropical Systems

(br) = Brush (ts) = Tropical Storm (bd) = Back Door, meaning coming from over land from opposite coast. Not all names are noted. Also, storms before 1950 were not named. Not every stat on every storm description is given. (since 1871)

New Orleans most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 31st and September 6th

Years within 60 miles

1872tsbr
1877br
1879brm
1879ts
1885ts
1887br
1888br
1889tsbr
1890ts
1892ts
1893
1893m
1895tsbr
1897br
1901
1906br
1909brm
1911tsbr
1912-2tsbr
1914bdts
1915m
1916brm
1920br
1923tsbr
1923br
1926br
1926ts
1932ts
1932tsbr
1934tsbr
1936ts
1944ts
1947m
1948ts
1949ts
1955-2ts
1956ts
1957ts
1960tsbr
1964br
1965
1969m
1974brm
1977tsbr
1979ts
1979
1985brm
1985tsbr
1988ts
1998br
1998ts
2001subts
2002-2ts
2003ts
2005ts
2005m
2008br
2009tsbr
2011ts
2012
2017ts
2019tsbr
2020ts
2020
2021ts
2021m
2024ts

70 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (B storms most likely to impact the area)

Brenda
Esther
Ethel
Hilda
Betsy
Camille
Carmen
Babe
Bob
Frederic
Elena
Juan
Florence
Georges
Hermine
Allison
Bertha
Isidore
Bill
Cindy
Katrina
Gustav
Ida
Lee
Isaac
Cindy
Barry
Cristobal
Zeta
Claudette
Ida
Francine

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 42, 60%
H = 28, 40%

only 15.94% of all tropical systems affecting New Orleans are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

7 years 1937-1943

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.19 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for a few hours)

Once every 12.75 years. (12 hits) State stats (older site)

Average years between direct major hurricane hits. (major hurricane in advisory upon passage)

Once every 30.6 years. (5 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

107 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2024 September 12th Francine downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm coming from the southwest with 55 mph winds at closest approach while moving north-northeast.

This area's hurricane history

1893 September 7th, 80 mph from the southwest
1893 October 2nd from the southwest 2,000 killed in louisiana by storm surge of 13ft 120 mph heavy damage in Northeast U.S. as well. Hit map
1901 August 15th, 90 mph from the southwest causes heavy flooding here kills 10.
1915 September 29th, 125 mph from the south, pressure 28.11 measured at Tulane university, 124 mph gusts to 140 mph 275 killed. By the time it reached New Orleans winds were around category 2 status. A storm surge of 13 ft reported in lake Pontchatrain, near the city it was closer to 9ft.The extreme velocity of 130 miles per hour, from the southeast, occurred at 4:58 p.m while the maximum velocity for five minutes, 86 miles per hour, occurred from 5:11 to 5:16 p.m.The HRD Reanalysis estimated press at 944MB at landfall 110kts a category 3. Video recap
1947 September 19th from the east-southeast an 11ft storm surge covers St Bernard & Plaquemines parishes.Barometer 28.57 51 killed winds 110mph (HURDAT) very heavy damage, gusts to 125 mph, 6ft of standing water Newspaper article
1965 September 10th, 105 mph from the southeast to the south Hurricane Betsy dumps very heavy rain here. Power outages last for quite some time, Ruth Chris steak house gave away food during this event & helped establish the popular food chain. NOTE: Betsy was a strong category 4 while approaching land near Grand Isle but by the time she reached her closest point to New Orleans 45miles to the southwest her winds were 105 mph. Betsy page
1969 August 18th, 145 mph Hurricane Camille from the south-southeast passes just east, Reanalysis of Camille | USGS surge info..
1979 July 11th Hurricane Bob passes just west of the city with 75 mph winds while moving north.
2005 August 29th Hurricane Katrina hits just east with 125 mph winds while moving north with very heavy damage and many fatalities. St Bernard Parish under water with many missing.Death toll after season ended was over 1,800. Final wind reports show category 1/2 winds were most common in the city.97 mph winds were measured by NASA at 1100 UTC August 29th. Katrina was officially a category 3 while hitting southeast Louisiana & the Mississippi coast. The large size of Katrina as well a being a category 5 before hitting land caused a near 27ft storm surge on the Mississippi coast, causing a high surge into lake pontchatrain. 80% of New Orleans flooded after passage of Hurricane Katrina. Jim Williams from HurricaneCity.com predicts a potential hurricane hit for this area on June 1st 2005. | Radar animation | Our live coverage | Newspaper headline | NHC Final report | Newspaper headline #2 | Newpaper Headline #3 | Newpaper Headline #4 | Newpaper Headline #5 | Newspaper article about winds | map of flooding | Hyatt hotel glass blown out | Damage shot | Levee being rebuilt | Levee being rebuilt #2 | damage shot | Superdome damage | Katrina tour brochure | Illinois newspaper 9 months later | Video of New Orleans damage & rebuilding | Lower ninth ward monument day | Lower ninth ward monument night | St Bernard Parish monument | Color enhanced satellite vapor image | Track and dates | Surge animation | USGS surge info
2012 August 29th Hurricane Isaac passes 45 miles to the southwest with 80 mph winds while moving slowly north-northwest causing surge flooding in surrounding areas 5 dead in Louisiana.New Orleans Lakefront Airport gust to 83 mph, NAS New Orleans / Belle Chasse gust to 79 mph, New Orleans Carrollton 20.66 inches of rain.New Orleans / Lake Catherine storm tide 9.77FTHurricane warning show | Isaac model history | Radar at landfall | Final NHC report | USGS surge info
2020 October 28th Hurricane Zeta hits directly with 105 mph winds while moving very fast to the north-northeast was a major at landfall. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Hit map | Our coverage as it happened | Our coverage as it happened | NHC report
2021 August 29th Hurricane Ida passes just west by 22 miles while moving north with 120 mph winds.Entire city without power or cell connectivity, heavier damage in western areas. Gust to 113 mph in New Orleans per NHC report WVUE but core of highest major hurricane force winds were west of the city. Hit map | NHC Report | radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School)

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Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......