NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Portsmouth, VA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
88 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Portsmouth, Virginia since 1851, 18 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 93 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 18
- Tropical storms
- 70
- Tornadoes
- 93
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Portsmouth
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 12 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 27 | 37 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | GabrielleSep 10 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | GastonAug 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 18 | 67 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 14 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | BonnieAug 28 | 74 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 24 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 25 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1986 | CharleyAug 18 | 38 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 70 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1983 | DeanSep 30 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 27 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1969 | CamilleAug 20 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1967 | DoriaSep 16 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | CleoSep 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 52 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 18 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 28 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | IoneSep 20 | 37 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 12 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1953 | BarbaraAug 14 | 39 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 21 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormSep 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 23 | 2 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 3 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 25 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 30 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 11 | 65 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 13 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 18 | 52 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormOct 25 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 29 | 57 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 17 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 25 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 21 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 70 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 37 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 40 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 52 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 2 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 14 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 19 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 10 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Portsmouth: 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 Portsmouth
By decade
- 2020s10(1 EF3+)
- 2010s16
- 2000s20(1 EF3+)
- 1990s16
- 1980s6
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s5
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 2023 | EF3 | 15 mi | 4.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2008 | EF3 | 4 mi | 24 mi | 0 / 200 |
| Sep 5, 1979 | F3 | 11 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 4, 1967 | F3 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 31, 2017 | EF2 | 9 mi | 8.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 20 mi | 22.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 4, 1999 | F2 | 13 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Aug 6, 1993 | F2 | 5 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 28, 1988 | F2 | 21 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 3, 1988 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 5, 1979 | F2 | 13 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Oct 9, 1959 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 93, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Portsmouth while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.