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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Reserve, 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

72 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Reserve, Louisiana since 1851, 30 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Francine in 2024. Since 1950, 122 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
30

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
42

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
122

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
5

7 deaths in all

What the records show for Reserve

The strongest storm to pass near Reserve was Camille in 1969, a Category 4 hurricane with 157 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1947, whose centre came within 1 mile. The record near Reserve begins with an unnamed storm in 1855; the most recent system was Francine in 2024, a tropical storm 2 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2000s, with 8 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 72 systems, 16 have come since 2000. Reserve has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 85% of the 245 Louisiana cities on this site. The strongest of the 122 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on December 6, 1983; its path came within 3 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on February 23, 2016, killed 2 people. Of the 122, 16 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 74 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on October 26, 2025. Of the 245 Louisiana cities, 53% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Reserve. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 19 times since 1969, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 245 Louisiana cities, 84% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Reserve.

Compare Reserve's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Reserve

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Reserve, Louisiana, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2024FrancineSep 122 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 2
2021IdaAug 305 miCategory 3 (112 mph)Category 4
2021ClaudetteJun 1911 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
2020ZetaOct 2829 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 3
2020CristobalJun 821 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2019OlgaOct 267 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2012IsaacAug 2926 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 1
2011LeeSep 532 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
2008GustavSep 148 miCategory 2 (100 mph)Category 4
2005KatrinaAug 2957 miCategory 3 (122 mph)Category 5
2005CindyJul 646 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 1
2004MatthewOct 1065 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2003BillJun 302 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
2002IsidoreSep 2638 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
2002BerthaAug 560 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2001AllisonJun 115 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1998HermineSep 2063 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1997DannyJul 1871 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1992AndrewAug 2663 miCategory 2 (108 mph)Category 5
1988FlorenceSep 1023 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 1
1988BerylAug 93 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1985JuanOct 2954 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1985ElenaSep 261 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 3
1979BobJul 1110 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
1977BabeSep 554 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1971EdithSep 1665 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 4
1969CamilleAug 1870 miCategory 4 (157 mph)Category 5
1965DebbieSep 2970 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1965BetsySep 1023 miCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 4
1964HildaOct 432 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 4
1959ArleneMay 3155 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1957EstherSep 1812 miTropical storm (59 mph)Tropical storm
1956Unnamed 1956 stormJun 132 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1955Unnamed 1955 stormAug 2710 miTropical storm (48 mph)Tropical storm
1955BrendaAug 134 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1949Unnamed 1949 stormSep 411 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1948Unnamed 1948 stormSep 435 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 1
1947Unnamed 1947 stormSep 191 miCategory 1 (94 mph)Category 4
1947Unnamed 1947 stormAug 2248 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1939Unnamed 1939 stormSep 2653 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1936Unnamed 1936 stormJul 2722 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 1659 miCategory 1 (84 mph)Category 2
1932Unnamed 1932 stormOct 1619 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1932Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1970 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1931Unnamed 1931 stormJul 1538 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1926Unnamed 1926 stormSep 2231 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 4
1926Unnamed 1926 stormAug 2629 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 3
1923Unnamed 1923 stormOct 1626 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 1
1923Unnamed 1923 stormJun 2660 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1920Unnamed 1920 stormSep 2242 miCategory 1 (84 mph)Category 2
1915Unnamed 1915 stormSep 2921 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 4
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJun 1331 miTropical storm (59 mph)Tropical storm
1911Unnamed 1911 stormAug 1263 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 1
1909Unnamed 1909 stormSep 2150 miCategory 2 (108 mph)Category 3
1905Unnamed 1905 stormOct 921 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 268 miCategory 3 (125 mph)Category 4
1893Unnamed 1893 stormSep 711 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 2
1892Unnamed 1892 stormSep 1237 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1890Unnamed 1890 stormAug 279 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2021 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 3
1887Unnamed 1887 stormOct 1951 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1879Unnamed 1879 stormOct 756 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1879Unnamed 1879 stormSep 126 miCategory 2 (96 mph)Category 3
1877Unnamed 1877 stormSep 1850 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1869Unnamed 1869 stormSep 52 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 1
1867Unnamed 1867 stormOct 459 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1863Unnamed 1863 stormOct 125 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1860Unnamed 1860 stormOct 241 miCategory 1 (91 mph)Category 2
1860Unnamed 1860 stormSep 1566 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1860Unnamed 1860 stormAug 1252 miCategory 3 (115 mph)Category 3
1856Unnamed 1856 stormAug 1063 miCategory 4 (138 mph)Category 4
1855Unnamed 1855 stormSep 1667 miCategory 3 (121 mph)Category 3

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Reserve: 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 Reserve

By decade

  • 2020s13
  • 2010s44(1 EF3+)
  • 2000s17
  • 1990s14(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s11(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s12
  • 1960s8(2 EF3+)
  • 1950s3
Strongest tornadoes near Reserve, Louisiana
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Dec 6, 1983F43 mi7 mi0 / 25
Aug 25, 1992F33 mi9 mi2 / 32
Feb 23, 2016EF324 mi7.78 mi0 / 0
Apr 12, 1969F319 mi10.7 mi0 / 1
Jan 28, 1966F317 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Feb 23, 2016EF213 mi12.95 mi2 / 75
Dec 14, 2022EF26 mi9.85 mi1 / 8
Mar 10, 1971F221 mi7.5 mi1 / 7
Jun 20, 2023EF223 mi3.79 mi0 / 0
Jun 6, 2019EF215 mi2.62 mi0 / 5
Feb 7, 2017EF218 mi23.08 mi0 / 3
Feb 23, 2016EF23 mi4.69 mi0 / 17

The strongest 12 of 122, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Reserve

The Storm Prediction Center has 19 hail reports within 10 miles of Reserve since 1969, made on 15 separate days. Of these, 13 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 9 days, most recently June 20, 2023. The most recent report is from June 20, 2023. April has the most reports, 10.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Reserve

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Reserve, LA, 1 mile west of Reserve at 15 feet. July and August are the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 75°F; January is the coolest, at 62°F and 43°F. June is the wettest at 8.6 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 4.1 inches; the year adds up to 67.2 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (35.6 of 67.2 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 72 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (28); a normal September there has highs of 88°F and 5.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 79 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 13 nights a year. That 67.2 inches is more than at 78 of the 81 Louisiana stations used on this site (96%). Norco, 9 miles east, has its own station (New Orleans International Airport, LA): 63.3 inches a year, 3.9 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 92°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station West Bank 1, Bayou Gauche, LA, 21 miles southeast, averaged 88°F in July and August and 56°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from May to September. Sea level at the New Canal tide gauge, 27 miles from Reserve, has risen 2.36 ± 0.19 inches per decade from 1982 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 23.6 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 131 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Reserve, LA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Water °F
Jan62435.9856
Feb67474.4661
Mar72524.9668
Apr79585.5574
May85665.9682
Jun89738.61087
Jul92757.11088
Aug92755.7888
Sep88715.8684
Oct81614.1576
Nov71514.3567
Dec65465.0661
Year796067.28074

Averages for 1991–2020 at Reserve, LA (15 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station West Bank 1, Bayou Gauche, 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.

Louisiana weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Reserve

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 90 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Reserve: 65 thunderstorm wind reports, 20 flash floods, 3 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $81.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on March 26, 2009. May has had the most flash floods, 6 of 20. Of the 239 Louisiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 148 have had fewer than Reserve.

  • June 10, 2008: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Reserve — 4 injured.

  • September 11, 2024: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Reserve — $52.5 million damage.

  • September 11, 2024: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Reserve — $18.0 million 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 Reserve's ZIP code 70084 have filed 407 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $19.3 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Isaac in 2012: 93 claims (23% of all) and $6.7 million, then Hurricane Ida in 2021 with 86 and Hurricane Francine in 2024 with 43. The year with the most claims was 2021, with 97. 79% 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, 138 have fewer than Reserve.

Flood insurance claims in Reserve by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Hurricane Isaac201293$6.7 million
Hurricane Ida202186$5.2 million
Hurricane Francine202443$3.3 million
Flooding199133$359,000
Hurricane Katrina200515$77,000
Tropical Storm Isidore200214$60,000

St. John the Baptist Parish, which includes Reserve, has been named in 46 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 30 hurricanes, 4 coastal storms, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Francine, on September 16, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives St. John the Baptist Parish a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $46.4 million a year, the 21st highest of 64 Louisiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $27.6 million (60%), 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.

Cities near Reserve