NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Belle Chasse, LA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
82 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Belle Chasse, Louisiana since 1851, 30 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Francine in 2024. Since 1950, 116 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 30
- Tropical storms
- 52
- Tornadoes
- 116
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Belle Chasse
The strongest storm to pass near Belle Chasse was Camille in 1969, a Category 5 hurricane with 169 mph winds when its centre passed 46 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1947, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Belle Chasse begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Francine in 2024, a tropical storm 39 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2000s, with 9 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 82 systems, 18 have come since 2000. Belle Chasse has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 85% of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site. The highest rating among the 116 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 22, 2022, came within 5 miles. Of the 116, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 67 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on May 2, 2025. Of the 245 Louisiana cities, 61% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Belle Chasse. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 57 times since 1964, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Belle Chasse has more hail reports within 10 miles than 63% of the 245 Louisiana cities.
Compare Belle Chasse's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Belle Chasse
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | FrancineSep 12 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2021 | IdaAug 29 | 33 mi | Category 3 (128 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 19 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 28 | 8 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | CristobalJun 8 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2017 | NateOct 8 | 54 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2012 | IsaacAug 29 | 41 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | GustavSep 1 | 60 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 24 mi | Category 3 (124 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | MatthewOct 10 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2003 | BillJun 30 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2002 | HannaSep 14 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | BerthaAug 5 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | GeorgesSep 28 | 75 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | HermineSep 20 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1997 | DannyJul 18 | 40 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | FlorenceSep 10 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | BerylAug 9 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | JuanOct 31 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 59 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | BobJul 11 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1977 | BabeSep 5 | 75 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 46 mi | Category 5 (169 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | DebbieSep 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | BetsySep 10 | 35 mi | Category 3 (119 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | EthelSep 15 | 72 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1957 | EstherSep 18 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 24 | 62 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormJun 13 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | BrendaAug 1 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 4 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 19 | overhead | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormAug 22 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJun 15 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 10 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormSep 19 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 27 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1931 | Unnamed 1931 stormJul 15 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 21 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 26 | 58 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 17 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 16 | 60 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 26 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 22 | 65 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 29 | 13 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 21 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormOct 9 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormAug 15 | 42 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 13 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1895 | Unnamed 1895 stormAug 15 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 2 | 31 mi | Category 3 (122 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 7 | 26 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1890 | Unnamed 1890 stormAug 27 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 23 | 49 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 19 | 52 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 19 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 26 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 30 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 1 | 63 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 18 | 25 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormJul 11 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 5 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 3 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormOct 4 | 43 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormOct 1 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 30 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 12 | 15 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 32 mi | Category 3 (123 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Belle Chasse: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Belle Chasse
By decade
- 2020s15(1 EF3+)
- 2010s27(1 EF3+)
- 2000s25
- 1990s16
- 1980s8
- 1970s11
- 1960s7(1 EF3+)
- 1950s7
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2022 | EF3 | 5 mi | 11.47 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Feb 7, 2017 | EF3 | 13 mi | 10.09 mi | 0 / 33 |
| Jan 28, 1966 | F3 | 20 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 13, 2007 | EF2 | 13 mi | 1.29 mi | 1 / 10 |
| Mar 10, 1971 | F2 | 14 mi | 7.5 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Jun 20, 2023 | EF2 | 17 mi | 3.79 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 14, 2022 | EF2 | 7 mi | 10.59 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Feb 13, 2007 | EF2 | 10 mi | 6.47 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Feb 13, 2007 | EF2 | 9 mi | 2.25 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Feb 2, 2006 | F2 | 10 mi | 5.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1995 | F2 | 9 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 1983 | F2 | 8 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 116, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Belle Chasse
The Storm Prediction Center has 57 hail reports within 10 miles of Belle Chasse since 1964, made on 35 separate days. Of these, 44 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on February 24, 2013. The most recent report is from June 20, 2023. April has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Belle Chasse
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is New Orleans Alvin Callender Fl, LA, in Belle Chasse at 5 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 43°F. July is the wettest at 8.1 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 64.1 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (35.4 of 64.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 82 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (36); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 6.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 64 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 11 nights a year. That 64.1 inches is more than at 63 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (78%). Harvey, 5 miles northwest, has its own station (Terrytown 3S, LA): 66.0 inches a year, 1.9 more than here, and an August average high of 92°F against 90°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Carrollton, LA, 11 miles northwest, averaged 88°F in August and 47°F in February over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from June to September. Sea level at the New Canal tide gauge, 16 miles from Belle Chasse, has risen 2.36 ± 0.19 inches per decade from 1982 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 23.6 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 131 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 43 | 5.1 | 7 | 48 |
| Feb | 66 | 46 | 3.9 | 6 | 47 |
| Mar | 71 | 52 | 4.6 | 6 | 54 |
| Apr | 77 | 58 | 5.2 | 5 | 64 |
| May | 84 | 65 | 5.4 | 6 | 72 |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 6.9 | 10 | 81 |
| Jul | 90 | 73 | 8.1 | 11 | 87 |
| Aug | 90 | 73 | 6.1 | 10 | 88 |
| Sep | 87 | 70 | 6.8 | 7 | 85 |
| Oct | 80 | 60 | 3.6 | 5 | 78 |
| Nov | 71 | 49 | 3.9 | 5 | 66 |
| Dec | 64 | 45 | 4.5 | 6 | 55 |
| Year | 78 | 59 | 64.1 | 82 | 69 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at New Orleans Alvin Callender Fl, LA (5 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Carrollton, LA, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Belle Chasse
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 204 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Belle Chasse: 109 thunderstorm wind reports, 78 flash floods, 12 heavy rain events, 3 floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $854,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on March 29, 2011. April has had the most flash floods, 19 of 78. Of the 239 Louisiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 220 have had fewer than Belle Chasse.
August 29, 2021: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Belle Chasse — 1 killed.
April 18, 2019: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Belle Chasse — 2 injured.
March 29, 2011: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Belle Chasse — $200,000 damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Belle Chasse's ZIP code 70037 have filed 1,650 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $32.3 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Katrina in 2005: 1,191 claims (72% of all) and $28.5 million, then Flooding in 1989 with 186 and Hurricane Isaac in 2012 with 64. 93% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 219 Louisiana cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 180 have fewer than Belle Chasse.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina2005 | 1,191 | $28.5 million |
| Flooding1989 | 186 | $797,000 |
| Hurricane Isaac2012 | 64 | $1.0 million |
| Hurricane Ida2021 | 37 | $739,000 |
| Hurricane Gustav2008 | 12 | $16,000 |
Plaquemines Parish, which includes Belle Chasse, has been named in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 26 of them major disasters (by incident: 32 hurricanes, 4 coastal storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Francine, on September 16, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Plaquemines Parish a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes and coastal flooding; Relatively Low for tornadoes, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail, inland flooding and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $28.1 million a year, the 26th highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $19.1 million (68%), is from hurricanes.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Belle Chasse in the notable storm records: Hurricane Ida (2021)
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.