Norfolk, Virginia'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)

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

Years within 60 miles

1872bdts
1874bdts
1876bd
1877xtropbd
1878bd
1879
1881bdts
1882-2bdts
1886bdtsbr
1888bdtsbr
1888tsbr
1889bdts
1893bdtsbr
1893ts
1894br
1894bd
1897ts
1899
1899bdtsbr
1901br
1902bdxtropst
1904bdts
1908tsbr
1916xtropstbd
1918bdtsbr
1928bdts
1933
1933br (HURDAT2)
1935bdts
1936br
1944br
1944bdts
1946bdtsbr
1953br
1955-2 (HURDAT2)
1959bdts
1960bdts
1960bd
1961bdts
1963ts (HURDAT)
1967ts
1971bdts
1981tsbr
1983tsbr
1984bdtsbr
1985br
1986
1992ts
1996
1996br
1996xtropstbr
1999
2003bd
2004tsbd
2004bdts
2008tsbdbr
2011
2012br
2013bdxtropst
2016bdts
2016br
2018bdts
2019br
2020bdts
2020bdxts
2021bdts
2023bdtsbr

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

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

Barbara
Connie
Ione
Cindy
Brenda
Donna
Doria
Doria (again)
Dennis
Dean
Gloria
Charley
Danielle
Bertha
Fran
Josephine
Floyd
Isabel
Charley
Gaston
Hanna
Irene
Sandy
Andrea
Hermine
Matthew
Michael
Dorian
Isaias
Zeta
Elsa
Ophelia

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 44, 63.77%
H = 25, 36.23%

0% of all tropical systems affecting Norfolk are major hurricanes this includes brushes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1919-1927 & 1972-1980

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.22 years

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

Once every 10.93 years. (14 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

No data (0 hits)

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

84 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

2023 September 23rd Tropical Storm Ophelia passes west with 45 mph winds while becoming post tropical, area had gusts to 59 mph.

This area's hurricane history

1876 September 17, 75 mph to the west from the south. Average 5 minute wind speed at Cape Henry was 78 mph; 8.32" of rain. Great destruction of crops & trees, streets littered with fences & debris.
1878 October 23rd from the south 90 mph hurricane hits just west by 37 miles with a press of 28.78 eye made landfall at Cape Fear and moved north across Richmond and Washington DC. Ship A.S. Davis sinks in hurricane 19 men lost. Huge surge through Chesapeake region & along Delmarva shore with highest tides since 1821.
1879 August 18th 105 mph from the south-southwest the eye passed about 30 miles east of Norfolk. Tide in Norfolk 7.77 ft at Low tide. Average 5-minute wind speed at Cape Henry was 76 mph with estimated gusts to 100 mph. Fastest 1 minute at Norfolk was 72 mph and the pressure reached 29.26 inches
1894 October 10th, 75 mph from the south-southwest passes just east by 24 miles.
1899 August 18th, 90 mph from the southeast passes just east by 44 miles before turning away from Norfolk.
1933 August 23rd 75 mph weakening to tropical storm from the south-southeast (HURDAT2). Video
1955 August 13th, Hurricane Connie still a hurricane with 80 mph winds (HURDAT) while weakening moving north passes directly over.
1955 Hurricane Ione (HURDAT2) September 19th 80 mph while 49 miles to southeast at closest approach moving northeast.
1960 September 12, 110 mph - Donna passes 42 miles to southeast. Fastest I minute wind speed was 73 mph at Norfolk Airport, 80 mph at Cape Henry and estimated 138 mph at Chesapeake Light, 3 deaths. Article
1986 August 18th from south-southwest Hurricane Charley hits after passing over East N.C with 80 mph winds, Norfolk on weak side of storm.
1996 July 13th Hurricane Bertha approaches from the south-southwest with 75 mph while weakening to tropical storm.
1999 September 16 Hurricane Floyd passes directly over the area with 75 mph winds from the south, causes heavy flooding of sounds from storm surge as well as from very heavy rain. Lowest pressure 28.85 inHg - 977 mb - 4th lowest of record. 10-20" of rain on saturated ground resulted in 500 year flood of record for Franklin, VA. WFO Wakefield was inaccessible for 36 hours.
2003 September 18th Hurricane Isabel, closest passage of 42 miles to southwest with 90 mph winds. This Cat 1 downgrading to TS status caused high wind gusts to 80 mph in Norfolk. This caused some structural damage & many trees down. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) Video flooding in Norfolk | Newspaper headline | Surge animation | USGS surge info | Hit map
2011 August 27th, Hurricane Irene passes just east with 80 mph winds while moving north-northeast causing minor damage. Norfolk sets daily rainfall record from August 27th of 7.92 inches or rain. Highest gust in Norfolk was 55 mph with sustained around 40 mph. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Hurricane Warning Show | Irene model history | Radar animation | USGS surge info | Hit map

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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......