NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Lake Charles, 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
42 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Lake Charles, Louisiana since 1851, 14 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Delta in 2020. Since 1950, 144 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 14
- Tropical storms
- 28
- Tornadoes
- 144
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Lake Charles
The strongest storm to pass near Lake Charles was Laura in 2020, a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds when its centre passed 5 miles away. The record near Lake Charles begins with an unnamed storm in 1863; the most recent system was Delta in 2020, a Category 1 hurricane 20 miles away. Of the 42 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Lake Charles has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 52% of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site. The highest rating among the 144 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on November 21, 1992, came within 11 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on October 11, 1970, killed 1 person. Of the 144, 22 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 66 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 24. The most recent tornado was on October 25, 2025. Lake Charles has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 76% of the 245 Louisiana cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 141 times since 1960, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Lake Charles has more hail reports within 10 miles than 93% of the 245 Louisiana cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Lake Charles
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DeltaOct 9 | 20 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | LauraAug 27 | 5 mi | Category 4 (135 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2019 | BarryJul 14 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2017 | HarveyAug 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2017 | CindyJun 22 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | LeeSep 4 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | GustavSep 2 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2008 | EdouardAug 5 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | HumbertoSep 13 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2005 | RitaSep 24 | 41 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | LiliOct 3 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1986 | BonnieJun 26 | 68 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | JuanOct 30 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | DannyAug 15 | 33 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1982 | ChrisSep 11 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1980 | DanielleSep 5 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | ClaudetteJul 24 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1978 | DebraAug 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1974 | CarmenSep 8 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1973 | Unnamed 1973 stormSep 12 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | EdithSep 16 | 48 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | BerthaAug 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 27 | 23 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1955 | Unnamed 1955 stormAug 27 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | BarbaraJul 29 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 20 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 24 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 7 | 52 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormAug 15 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1926 | Unnamed 1926 stormAug 27 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 6 | 13 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormAug 1 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1905 | Unnamed 1905 stormSep 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormSep 20 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 13 | 43 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormOct 13 | 24 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 14 | 13 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 15 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 23 | 64 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1875 | Unnamed 1875 stormSep 18 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1865 | Unnamed 1865 stormSep 13 | 15 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 30 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Lake Charles: 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 Lake Charles
By decade
- 2020s24
- 2010s30
- 2000s12
- 1990s23(1 EF3+)
- 1980s19
- 1970s17(2 EF3+)
- 1960s13
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 1992 | F3 | 11 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 17, 1973 | F3 | 4 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 12, 1971 | F3 | 1 mi | 3.6 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 4, 1952 | F3 | 21 mi | 36.7 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Oct 11, 1970 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 1 / 2 |
| May 13, 2024 | EF2 | 6 mi | 3.44 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2024 | EF2 | 2 mi | 1.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF2 | 14 mi | 12.43 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jan 24, 2023 | EF2 | 21 mi | 25.21 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 27, 2021 | EF2 | 4 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 2, 1999 | F2 | 18 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 1999 | F2 | 19 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 144, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Lake Charles
The Storm Prediction Center has 141 hail reports within 10 miles of Lake Charles since 1960, made on 93 separate days. Of these, 80 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on May 9, 2019. The most recent report is from March 8, 2025. April has the most reports, 35.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Lake Charles
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lake Charles, LA, 6 miles south of Lake Charles at 13 feet. August is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 75°F; January is the coolest, at 63°F and 43°F. June is the wettest at 6.5 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 59.8 inches over 71 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (32.5 of 59.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 42 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 89°F and 5.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 88 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 11 nights a year. That 59.8 inches is more than at 33 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (41%). Westlake, 5 miles northwest, has its own station (Moss Bluff 2 NNW, LA): 69.3 inches a year, 9.5 more than here, and an August average high of 92°F against 93°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Lake Charles, LA, 1 mile northwest, averaged 89°F in August and 59°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from May to September.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 43 | 5.9 | 6 | 59 |
| Feb | 67 | 47 | 3.3 | 5 | 61 |
| Mar | 73 | 53 | 3.7 | 5 | 68 |
| Apr | 79 | 59 | 4.4 | 5 | 74 |
| May | 85 | 67 | 5.4 | 5 | 81 |
| Jun | 91 | 74 | 6.5 | 8 | 87 |
| Jul | 92 | 76 | 5.7 | 8 | 89 |
| Aug | 93 | 75 | 6.2 | 7 | 89 |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 5.2 | 6 | 86 |
| Oct | 82 | 60 | 4.8 | 5 | 79 |
| Nov | 72 | 51 | 4.1 | 5 | 70 |
| Dec | 65 | 45 | 4.6 | 6 | 63 |
| Year | 79 | 60 | 59.8 | 71 | 76 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Lake Charles, LA (13 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Lake Charles, 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 Lake Charles
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 252 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Lake Charles: 178 thunderstorm wind reports, 48 flash floods, 10 heavy rain events, 9 lightning strikes and 7 floods. They killed 6 people and injured 17, and the NWS estimated $531.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on May 26, 2010. May has had the most flash floods, 11 of 48. Of the 239 Louisiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 200 have had fewer than Lake Charles.
July 20, 2012: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Lake Charles — 2 killed.
NWS: “Strong wind gusts blew across Lake Charles and the Calcasieu River where two men from Westlake where on a boat. The 16 foot jon boat was capsized by the strong wind gusts and both were drowned.”
September 5, 2009: lightning strike 10 miles from the centre of Lake Charles — 1 killed, 1 injured, $5,000 damage.
NWS: “Two boaters fishing on Black Bayou at the Intracoastal Waterway were struck by lightning. One man was killed and the other suffered minor injuries.”
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 Lake Charles's 5 ZIP codes have filed 8,503 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $286.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from 2021 Mid-Spring Severe Storms in 2021: 1,579 claims (19% of all) and $97.1 million, then Flooding in 1980 with 1,248 and Hurricane Delta in 2020 with 1,177. 81% 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, 209 have fewer than Lake Charles.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Mid-Spring Severe Storms2021 | 1,579 | $97.1 million |
| Flooding1980 | 1,248 | $13.7 million |
| Hurricane Delta2020 | 1,177 | $44.8 million |
| Hurricane Rita2005 | 1,145 | $30.9 million |
| Hurricane Ike2008 | 1,106 | $61.4 million |
| Hurricane Laura2020 | 333 | $3.1 million |
Calcasieu Parish, which includes Lake Charles, has been named in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1971, 23 of them major disasters (by incident: 23 hurricanes, 7 floods, 3 coastal storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Ida, on August 29, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Calcasieu Parish a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding, coastal flooding and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $163.6 million a year, the 7th highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $71.0 million (43%), 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).
Lake Charles in the notable storm records: Hurricane Rita (2005)
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Lake Charles
- Westlake, LA5 mi
- Sulphur, LA10 mi
- Iowa, LA13 mi
- Bell City, LA14 mi
- Ragley, LA19 mi
- Dequincy, LA20 mi
- Welsh, LA23 mi
- Vinton, LA23 mi
- Longville, LA27 mi
- Kinder, LA29 mi
- Lake Arthur, LA30 mi
- Jennings, LA33 mi
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