NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Duson, 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
50 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Duson, Louisiana since 1851, 19 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Delta in 2020. Since 1950, 230 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 12 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 19
- Tropical storms
- 31
- Tornadoes
- 230
- EF3 or stronger
- 12
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
24 deaths in all
What the records show for Duson
The strongest storm to pass near Duson was Laura in 2020, a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds when its centre passed 68 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Edith in 1971, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Duson begins with an unnamed storm in 1856; the most recent system was Delta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane 37 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1970s, with 5 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 50 systems, 10 have come since 2000. Duson has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 66% of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site. The highest rating among the 230 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 12 times; the most recent, on May 17, 2020, came within 16 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on November 7, 1957, killed 4 people. Of the 230, 14 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 89 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 38. The most recent tornado was on June 10, 2025. Duson is tied for the most tornadoes within 25 miles among the 245 Louisiana cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 69 times since 1965, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Duson has more hail reports within 10 miles than 73% of the 245 Louisiana cities.
Compare Duson's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Duson
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DeltaOct 10 | 37 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 68 mi | Category 4 (135 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | BarryJul 13 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 30 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2012 | IsaacAug 30 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 4 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | GustavSep 1 | 16 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | IvanSep 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | LiliOct 3 | 10 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1992 | AndrewAug 26 | 28 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | JuanOct 29 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | DannyAug 15 | 28 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1978 | DebraAug 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1977 | BabeSep 5 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1974 | CarmenSep 8 | 11 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 13 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | EdithSep 16 | 6 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1965 | BetsySep 10 | 44 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 49 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | ArleneMay 31 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 9 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | BarbaraJul 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 19 | 36 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormSep 20 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 7 | 74 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1937 | Unnamed 1937 stormOct 3 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 16 | 36 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 19 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1931 | Unnamed 1931 stormJul 15 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 26 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 16 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 22 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 6 | 67 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 42 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormAug 1 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormOct 9 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 29 | overhead | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 20 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 60 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 20 | 73 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 15 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 1 | 64 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 30 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 2 | 53 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 11 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 4 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Duson: 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 Duson
By decade
- 2020s11(1 EF3+)
- 2010s26
- 2000s52
- 1990s41
- 1980s31(3 EF3+)
- 1970s37(3 EF3+)
- 1960s20(2 EF3+)
- 1950s12(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 1957 | F3 | 11 mi | 9.2 mi | 4 / 10 |
| Oct 29, 1974 | F3 | 17 mi | 31.3 mi | 2 / 52 |
| May 17, 2020 | EF3 | 16 mi | 3.93 mi | 1 / 9 |
| Jan 31, 1983 | F3 | 9 mi | 6 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1977 | F3 | 15 mi | 3.8 mi | 1 / 11 |
| Dec 25, 1969 | F3 | 15 mi | 1.5 mi | 1 / 8 |
| Sep 10, 1961 | F3 | 12 mi | 5.7 mi | 1 / 55 |
| Oct 15, 1957 | F3 | 19 mi | 37.9 mi | 1 / 29 |
| Feb 9, 1983 | F3 | 14 mi | 21 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Feb 9, 1983 | F3 | 19 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 29, 1974 | F3 | 6 mi | 7.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 4, 1952 | F3 | 14 mi | 36.7 mi | 0 / 10 |
The strongest 12 of 230, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Duson
The Storm Prediction Center has 69 hail reports within 10 miles of Duson since 1965, made on 49 separate days. Of these, 49 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently April 20, 1992. The most recent report is from July 6, 2025. May has the most reports, 17.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Duson
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lafayette, LA, 6 miles east of Duson at 25 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 41°F. June is the wettest at 7.0 inches of precipitation on average and March the driest at 3.8 inches; the year adds up to 64.8 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (34.8 of 64.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 50 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 5.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 81 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 18 nights a year. That 64.8 inches is more than at 70 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (86%). Rayne, 7 miles west, has its own station (Crowley 2 NE, LA): 63.6 inches a year, 1.2 less than here, and the same August average high, 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 41 | 6.1 | 7 |
| Feb | 66 | 45 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Mar | 72 | 51 | 3.8 | 5 |
| Apr | 78 | 57 | 5.5 | 5 |
| May | 85 | 65 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Jun | 90 | 72 | 7.0 | 9 |
| Jul | 91 | 73 | 6.3 | 10 |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 6.5 | 8 |
| Sep | 88 | 69 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Oct | 81 | 59 | 5.0 | 5 |
| Nov | 71 | 49 | 4.8 | 6 |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 58 | 64.8 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Lafayette, LA (25 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. 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 Duson
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 154 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Duson: 106 thunderstorm wind reports, 30 flash floods, 10 lightning strikes, 5 floods and 3 heavy rain events. They killed 2 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $36.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on January 11, 2020. May has had the most flash floods, 11 of 30. Of the 239 Louisiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 178 have had fewer than Duson.
May 17, 2021: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Duson — 1 killed, $30,000 damage.
December 24, 2009: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Duson — 1 killed, $25,000 damage.
February 10, 1998: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Duson — 4 injured, $100,000 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 Duson's ZIP code 70529 have filed 235 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $8.7 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Mid-summer severe storms in 2016: 157 claims (67% of all) and $8.2 million, then Flooding in 1993 with 29. 86% 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, 111 have fewer than Duson.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-summer severe storms2016 | 157 | $8.2 million |
| Flooding1993 | 29 | $134,000 |
Lafayette Parish, which includes Duson, has been named in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 24 hurricanes, 7 floods, 4 coastal storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Ida, on August 29, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Lafayette Parish a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail and coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $189.8 million a year, the 5th highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $97.8 million (52%), 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.