NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Forest Hill, 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
38 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Forest Hill, Louisiana since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Delta in 2020. Since 1950, 119 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 7 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 32
- Tornadoes
- 119
- EF3 or stronger
- 7
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
17 deaths in all
What the records show for Forest Hill
The strongest storm to pass near Forest Hill was Laura in 2020, a Category 2 hurricane with 104 mph winds when its centre passed 46 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Audrey in 1957, whose centre came within 41 miles. The record near Forest Hill begins with an unnamed storm in 1856; the most recent system was Delta in 2020, a tropical storm 7 miles away. Of the 38 systems, 9 have come since 2000. Of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site, 65% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Forest Hill. The strongest of the 119 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on December 3, 1953; its path came within 25 miles, and it killed 9 people. Of the 119, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 65 have come since 2000. December has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on March 4, 2025. Of the 245 Louisiana cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Forest Hill. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 34 times since 1963, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 245 Louisiana cities, 58% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Forest Hill.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Forest Hill
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DeltaOct 10 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 46 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | BarryJul 14 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 30 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2012 | IsaacAug 30 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 4 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | GustavSep 2 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2002 | LiliOct 3 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1992 | AndrewAug 26 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | JuanOct 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 3 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | DannyAug 16 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1982 | ChrisSep 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | CarmenSep 8 | 41 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 13 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | EdithSep 16 | 65 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1965 | BetsySep 10 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 27 | 41 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 20 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormAug 15 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 16 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 19 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1931 | Unnamed 1931 stormJul 16 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 26 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 22 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 52 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormAug 1 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 20 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 69 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 18 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 14 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 30 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 11 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Forest Hill: 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 Forest Hill
By decade
- 2020s17
- 2010s34(1 EF3+)
- 2000s14
- 1990s19
- 1980s16(2 EF3+)
- 1970s9(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5
- 1950s5(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 3, 1953 | F4 | 25 mi | 85.5 mi | 9 / 50 |
| Nov 7, 1957 | F3 | 18 mi | 13.3 mi | 3 / 16 |
| Dec 16, 2019 | EF3 | 13 mi | 62.61 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jan 31, 1983 | F3 | 23 mi | 5 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Jun 5, 1981 | F3 | 18 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Jun 22, 1971 | F3 | 19 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 6, 1951 | F3 | 18 mi | 16.8 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Apr 22, 2020 | EF2 | 9 mi | 8.98 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 1957 | F2 | 14 mi | 18.3 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 23, 2020 | EF2 | 18 mi | 3.62 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 2020 | EF2 | 10 mi | 8.43 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 16, 2019 | EF2 | 15 mi | 3.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 119, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Forest Hill
The Storm Prediction Center has 34 hail reports within 10 miles of Forest Hill since 1963, made on 29 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 3, 2017. The most recent report is from May 3, 2017. May has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Forest Hill
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA, 11 miles northeast of Forest Hill at 70 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 39°F. January and June are the wettest at 6.0 inches of precipitation on average and August the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 60.2 inches over 71 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (29.6 of 60.2 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 38 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 4.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 100 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 28 nights a year. That 60.2 inches is more than at 40 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (49%). Glenmora, 7 miles southwest, has its own station (Elizabeth, LA): 62.1 inches a year, 1.9 more than here, and the same August average high, 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 39 | 6.0 | 7 |
| Feb | 64 | 43 | 5.0 | 6 |
| Mar | 71 | 49 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Apr | 77 | 56 | 4.8 | 4 |
| May | 85 | 65 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 6.0 | 7 |
| Jul | 93 | 73 | 4.1 | 7 |
| Aug | 93 | 73 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 4.8 | 5 |
| Oct | 80 | 55 | 5.5 | 5 |
| Nov | 70 | 46 | 5.6 | 6 |
| Dec | 62 | 40 | 5.4 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 56 | 60.2 | 71 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Lsu Dean Lee Rsch Stn, LA (70 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 Forest Hill
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 38 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Forest Hill: 32 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $5.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 64 mph, on April 2, 2009.
April 2, 2017: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Forest Hill — $5.0 million damage.
July 14, 2019: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Forest Hill — $500,000 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
Rapides Parish, which includes Forest Hill, has been named in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 26 of them major disasters (by incident: 23 hurricanes, 10 floods, 3 coastal storms, 3 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Ida, on August 29, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Rapides Parish a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $39.6 million a year, the 23rd highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $16.4 million (41%), is from inland flooding.
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.
Cities near Forest Hill
- Glenmora, LA7 mi
- Woodworth, LA8 mi
- Lecompte, LA8 mi
- Saint Landry, LA16 mi
- Alexandria, LA17 mi
- Oakdale, LA18 mi
- Boyce, LA21 mi
- Hessmer, LA22 mi
- Pineville, LA22 mi
- Bunkie, LA23 mi
- Pitkin, LA26 mi
- Ball, LA26 mi
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