NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Independence, 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
59 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Independence, Louisiana since 1851, 14 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Francine in 2024. Since 1950, 139 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 14
- Tropical storms
- 45
- Tornadoes
- 139
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
10 deaths in all
What the records show for Independence
The strongest storm to pass near Independence was Camille in 1969, a Category 3 hurricane with 129 mph winds when its centre passed 54 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1879, whose centre came within 14 miles. The record near Independence begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Francine in 2024, a tropical storm 14 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1930s, with 6 systems. Of the 59 systems, 13 have come since 2000. Independence has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 52% of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site. The strongest of the 139 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on March 15, 2025; its path came within 22 miles, and it killed 6 people. Of the 139, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 77 have come since 2000. March and April have had the most tornadoes, 19 each. The most recent tornado was on October 26, 2025. Independence has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 69% of the 245 Louisiana cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 46 times since 1978, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Independence has more hail reports within 10 miles than 53% of the 245 Louisiana cities.
Compare Independence's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Independence
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | FrancineSep 12 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2021 | IdaAug 30 | 17 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 19 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 47 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | CristobalJun 8 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | IsaacAug 30 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | LeeSep 5 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 29 | 55 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2005 | CindyJul 6 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2003 | BillJul 1 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2002 | IsidoreSep 26 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 11 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1992 | AndrewAug 26 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | FlorenceSep 10 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1988 | BerylAug 9 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | ElenaSep 2 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | BobJul 11 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | EdithSep 16 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 18 | 54 mi | Category 3 (129 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | BetsySep 10 | 50 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | HildaOct 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | ArleneMay 31 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | EstherSep 18 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormJun 13 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | BrendaAug 2 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 4 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1948 | Unnamed 1948 stormSep 4 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 19 | 37 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1939 | Unnamed 1939 stormSep 26 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1936 | Unnamed 1936 stormJul 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 16 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 16 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 19 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1931 | Unnamed 1931 stormJul 15 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormSep 22 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 26 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 16 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 22 | 62 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 24 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 13 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 12 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1909 | Unnamed 1909 stormSep 21 | 60 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormOct 9 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormSep 7 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1890 | Unnamed 1890 stormAug 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 20 | 28 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 15 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormOct 7 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormSep 1 | 14 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 6 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormOct 1 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 2 | 33 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormSep 15 | 75 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 12 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1855 | Unnamed 1855 stormSep 16 | 72 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Independence: 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 Independence
By decade
- 2020s20(1 EF3+)
- 2010s37
- 2000s20
- 1990s12
- 1980s16
- 1970s20
- 1960s8
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF4 | 22 mi | 67.16 mi | 6 / 6 |
| Feb 6, 1953 | F3 | 8 mi | 15.6 mi | 2 / 21 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F2 | 9 mi | 6.02 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Feb 8, 2023 | EF2 | 15 mi | 3.54 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 7, 2017 | EF2 | 5 mi | 19 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Feb 7, 2017 | EF2 | 20 mi | 23.08 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Feb 23, 2016 | EF2 | 13 mi | 4.33 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 23, 2014 | EF2 | 7 mi | 4.62 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 21, 1997 | F2 | 20 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 43 |
| Feb 15, 1992 | F2 | 4 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Jun 8, 1989 | F2 | 19 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 15, 1987 | F2 | 17 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 139, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Independence
The Storm Prediction Center has 46 hail reports within 10 miles of Independence since 1978, made on 35 separate days. Of these, 41 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 19 days, most recently February 4, 2024. The most recent report is from April 25, 2025. March has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Independence
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Amite, LA, 6 miles north of Independence at 170 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 61°F and 39°F. August is the wettest at 6.6 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 63.8 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (30.7 of 63.8 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 59 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 3.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 94 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 35 nights a year. That 63.8 inches is more than at 60 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (74%). Tickfaw, 5 miles south, has its own station (Hammond 5 E, LA): 64.4 inches a year, 0.6 more than here, and the same August average high, 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61 | 39 | 5.9 | 7 |
| Feb | 65 | 42 | 5.0 | 6 |
| Mar | 72 | 48 | 5.2 | 6 |
| Apr | 78 | 54 | 5.1 | 5 |
| May | 85 | 62 | 6.4 | 6 |
| Jun | 90 | 69 | 5.9 | 9 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 6.5 | 10 |
| Aug | 92 | 71 | 6.6 | 8 |
| Sep | 89 | 66 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Oct | 81 | 55 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 70 | 46 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Dec | 63 | 40 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Year | 78 | 55 | 63.8 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Amite, LA (170 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 Independence
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 137 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Independence: 109 thunderstorm wind reports, 20 flash floods, 5 lightning strikes, 2 floods and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 6, and the NWS estimated $106.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on April 28, 2020. April has had the most flash floods, 5 of 20. Of the 239 Louisiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 148 have had fewer than Independence.
August 1, 1998: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Independence — 3 injured, $25,000 damage.
September 18, 2006: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Independence — 2 injured, $3,000 damage.
May 12, 2017: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Independence — 1 injured.
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 Independence's ZIP code 70443 have filed 346 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $13.6 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Mid-summer severe storms in 2016: 196 claims (57% of all) and $10.9 million, then Late winter severe storms in 2016 with 27 and Hurricane Ida in 2021 with 24. 88% 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, 128 have fewer than Independence.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-summer severe storms2016 | 196 | $10.9 million |
| Late winter severe storms2016 | 27 | $988,000 |
| Hurricane Ida2021 | 24 | $788,000 |
| Flooding1995 | 19 | $107,000 |
| Hurricane Isaac2012 | 16 | $280,000 |
Tangipahoa Parish, which includes Independence, has been named in 48 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 29 of them major disasters (by incident: 29 hurricanes, 6 floods, 4 coastal storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Francine, on September 16, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Tangipahoa Parish a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hail, inland flooding, coastal flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $107.4 million a year, the 10th highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $54.3 million (51%), 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.