Kenedy County, Texas' 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)

Kenedy County most likely to be hit by a hurricane between August 17th and August 23rd

Years near or within core winds

1874bdts
1875m
1880m
1886
1886brm
1887br
1902ts
1909br
1910
1912
1913
1916m
1919
1925ts
1931tsbr
1933brm
1934br
1936br
1945ts
1945m
1947tsbr
1954tsbr
1960tsbr
1961brm
1967m
1968tsbr
1970brm
1971ts
1978tsbr
1980
1993ts
1998tsbr
1999m
2008ts
2010ts
2017brm
2020
2023ts

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

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

Alice
Ella
Abbey
Carla
Beulah
Candy
Celia
Fern
Amelia
Allen
Arlene
Charley
Bret
Dolly
Hermine
Harvey
Hanna
Harold

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 16, 42.11%
H = 22, 57.89%

30.56% of all tropical systems affecting Kenedy County are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

14 years 1888-1901

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 4.03 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (usually within 40 miles to include small hurricanes)

Once every 11.77 years. (13 hits) State stats (older site)

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 25.5 years. (6 hits)

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

106 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2027

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

Last affected by

2023 August 22nd Tropical storm Haroild hits with 50 mph winds while moving west.

This area's hurricane history

1875 September 16th 176 killed when a 115 mph hurricane passes just east of the area from the east-southeast with gusts to 100 mph locally. Hit map
1880 August 13th, 130 mph to the south from the east-southeast. Hit map
1886 September 23rd, 90 mph from the south-southeast
1910 September 14th, 110 mph from the east.
1912 October 16th, 95 mph from the southeast.
1913 June 27th, 75 mph from the east-southeast.
1916 August 18th, 115 mph from the east-southeast makes landfall in the north part of the county. Possessed 932 mb central pressure at landfall, 25 nmi radius of maximum winds (RMW), and a landfall point of 26.8N 97.4W
1919 September 14, 85 mph from the east. Landfall point of 27.2N 97.3W, 950 mb central pressure, 35 nautical mile radius of maximum wind.
1945 August 26th, 120 mph just offshore while moving north.
1967 September 20th Hurricane Beulah from the south-southeast, winds here were 115 mph causing heavy damage & alot of rain with many tornadoes, storm surge was over 9 feet. NHC Wallet
1980 August 10th Hurricane Allen brushes well to the south with 110 mph winds after earlier being a category 5 from the east-southeast. NHC Wallet
1999 Hurricane Bret hits August 22nd with 125 mph winds some moderate damage as winds diminished quickly due to slow movement. NHC final report
2008 Hurricane Dolly hit while moving northwest with 100 mph winds. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Hit map | Our coverage as it happened
2020 July 25th, Hurricane Hanna hits from the east with 90 mph winds eye passed directly over. Hit map | Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | NHC Report

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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......