Louisiana hurricanes and tropical storms

Every recorded hurricane or tropical storm record since 1996 · 64 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,195 hurricane and tropical storm records in Louisiana from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 65 a year since 2000. The deadliest was Hurricane Katrina (August 28, 2005): 816 deaths and $52 billion in damage in 2025 dollars across 66 records. Louisiana ranks 3rd of 34 states and territories by count and 7th of 33 per square mile.

Hurricanes and tropical storms in Louisiana, 1996 to 2026

Tropical records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

recorded, no damage figure
under $1 million
$1 million or more
$10 million or more
$100 million or more, or 10 deaths
$1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
a year with a death

Records: 1,1951996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000: 65average
Deaths: 88736 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $83.1Bas filed
Busiest year: 2008190 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are hurricane and tropical storm records common in Louisiana?

Louisiana averages about 65 hurricane and tropical storm records a year since 2000, 3rd of 34 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2008 (190). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Louisiana records 277 hurricane and tropical storm records since 1996, 7th of 33 states and territories by that measure.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Louisiana have the most hurricane and tropical storm records?

Per square mile, Orleans Parish leads Louisiana: 39 days with a hurricane or tropical storm record since 1996, 230.1 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, St. Bernard Parish has the most tropical records (117 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is hurricane season in Louisiana?

67% of its hurricane and tropical storm records since 1996 fell in August and September. The busiest month is September (524 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 0 · Feb 6 · Mar 0 · Apr 0 · May 0 · Jun 89 · Jul 97 · Aug 278 · Sep 524 · Oct 184 · Nov 14 · Dec 3 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest hurricane and tropical storm records in Louisiana?

Louisiana: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2005-08-28	Hurricane Katrina · Hurricane (Typhoon)Orleans Parish and St. Bernard Parish · forecast zone Orleans One named storm filed by several offices: 66 records in 5 episodes, 2005-08-28 to 2005-09-24; the totals are the storm's. Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest and most destructive hurricanes on record to impact the coast of the United States. It will likely be recorded as one the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States to date resulting in catastrophic damage and numerous casualties in southeast Louisiana and ...	816	0	$52.5B
2021-08-29	Tropical Storm Ida · Hurricane (Typhoon)Orleans Parish · forecast zone Western Orleans Parish One storm episode: 46 records in 21 places; the totals are the episode's. The ninth named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Ida originated from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on August 23rd. On August 26th, the wave developed into a tropical depression, which organized further and became Tropical Storm Ida later that day, near ...	29	0	$5.0B
2020-08-26	Hurricane Laura · Hurricane (Typhoon)Calcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 21 records in 3 episodes, 2020-08-26 to 2020-08-27; the totals are the storm's. A tropical wave emerged off of Africa during August 16 and then developed into a depression by the 20th. The system gradually became better organized as it passed across the Greater Antilles. It entered the Gulf of Mexico and became a hurricane on the 25th. Outer bands spread inland during the afternoon of the 26th ...	24	2	$11.8B
2008-09-01	Hurricane Gustav · Tropical StormCalcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 103 records in 7 episodes, 2008-09-01 to 2008-09-14; the totals are the storm's. Hurricane Gustav caused wind damage, flash flooding, and several tornadoes across southwest Louisiana. Hustav made landfall in Terrebonne Parish in the morning of September 2nd as a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph. Gustav moved northwest, almost up along Highway 90 across St. Mary, Iberia, St. ...	8	13	$2.2B
2020-10-09	Hurricane Delta · Hurricane (Typhoon)Iberia Parish · forecast zone Iberia One named storm filed by several offices: 36 records in 3 episodes; the totals are the storm's. A tropical wave moved into the Caribbean in early October and became a tropical depression by the 5th. The system quickly gained strength and obtained category 4 status before shear weakened it back to a category 2. The hurricane weakened farther while over the Yucatan Peninsula, however after moving into the southern ...	4	7	$2.8B
2012-08-28	Hurricane Isaac · Storm Surge/TidePlaquemines Parish · forecast zone Lower Plaquemines One storm episode: 46 records in 20 places; the totals are the episode's. Isaac entered the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm on August 26, moving northwest after crossing Haiti, Cuba and the Florida Straits. Isaac strengthened into a hurricane on the morning of the 28th when it was 75 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Isaac made landfall in Plaquemines Parish as ...	3	0	$670M
2020-10-28	Tropical Storm Zeta · Hurricane (Typhoon)Orleans Parish · forecast zone Orleans One storm episode: 20 records in 11 places; the totals are the episode's. A tropical depression formed in the northwestern Caribbean on the afternoon of October 24th. 9 hours later, it became the twenty-seventh named storm and eleventh hurricane of the exceptionally active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. After meandering virtually in the same place, it finally began moving northwest and ...	1	1	$115M
2005-09-23	Hurricane Rita · Hurricane (Typhoon)Calcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 29 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. Hurricane Rita made landfall around 230 am on September 24th in Cameron Parish near Johnson Bayou as a category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph. Wind gusts over 110 mph were recorded in Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes. This resulted in numerous trees and power lines downed. In parts of Beauregard, Jeff ...	1	0	$6.7B
2009-11-09	Tropical StormPlaquemines Parish · forecast zone Lower Plaquemines A 70 year old man drowned in the Mississippi River near Fort Jackson when he attempted to assist two boaters in distress. Unfortunately, elderly man's boat flipped over and he was thrown into the river and drowned. The initial two boaters were rescued.	1	0	–

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest hurricane and tropical storm records in Louisiana

Louisiana: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2005-08-28	Hurricane Katrina · Hurricane (Typhoon)Orleans Parish and St. Bernard Parish · forecast zone Orleans One named storm filed by several offices: 66 records in 5 episodes, 2005-08-28 to 2005-09-24; the totals are the storm's.	816	0	$52.5B
2020-08-26	Hurricane Laura · Hurricane (Typhoon)Calcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 21 records in 3 episodes, 2020-08-26 to 2020-08-27; the totals are the storm's.	24	2	$11.8B
2005-09-23	Hurricane Rita · Hurricane (Typhoon)Calcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 29 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's.	1	0	$6.7B
2021-08-29	Tropical Storm Ida · Hurricane (Typhoon)Orleans Parish · forecast zone Western Orleans Parish One storm episode: 46 records in 21 places; the totals are the episode's.	29	0	$5.0B
2020-10-09	Hurricane Delta · Hurricane (Typhoon)Iberia Parish · forecast zone Iberia One named storm filed by several offices: 36 records in 3 episodes; the totals are the storm's.	4	7	$2.8B
2008-09-01	Hurricane Gustav · Tropical StormCalcasieu Parish · forecast zone Calcasieu One named storm filed by several offices: 103 records in 7 episodes, 2008-09-01 to 2008-09-14; the totals are the storm's.	8	13	$2.2B
2002-10-03	Hurricane Lili · Hurricane (Typhoon)Lafayette Parish · forecast zone Lafayette One named storm filed by several offices: 43 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's.	0	3	$888M
2012-08-28	Hurricane Isaac · Storm Surge/TidePlaquemines Parish · forecast zone Lower Plaquemines One storm episode: 46 records in 20 places; the totals are the episode's.	3	0	$670M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are hurricane and tropical storm records becoming more frequent in Louisiana?

Louisiana's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Hurricanes and tropical storms: Louisiana and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
Decade	Louisiana	United States	Louisiana's share
1996-99	92	1,123	8.2%
2000s	560	4,928	11.4%
2010s	244	2,761	8.8%
2020-26	299	2,697	11.1%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent hurricane and tropical storm records in Louisiana

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
Date	Record	Damage
2024-09-11	Hurricane (Typhoon)St. Mary Parish · forecast zone Upper St. Mary Parish	$9.4M
2024-09-11	Hurricane (Typhoon)St. Mary Parish · forecast zone Lower St. Mary Parish	$9.4M
2024-09-11	Tropical StormSt. John the Baptist Parish · forecast zone St. John The Baptist	$941K
2024-09-11	Tropical StormSt. James Parish · forecast zone St. James	$941K
2024-09-11	Tropical StormSt. Charles Parish · forecast zone St. Charles	$941K
2024-09-11	Hurricane (Typhoon)Lafourche Parish · forecast zone Lower Lafourche	$9.4M
2024-09-11	Hurricane (Typhoon)Lafourche Parish · forecast zone Upper Lafourche	$9.4M
2024-09-11	Tropical StormJefferson Parish · forecast zone Coastal Jefferson Parish	$941K
2024-09-11	Tropical StormJefferson Parish · forecast zone Lower Jefferson Parish	$941K
2024-09-11	Tropical StormJefferson Parish · forecast zone Upper Jefferson Parish	$941K
2024-09-11	Tropical StormEast Baton Rouge Parish · forecast zone East Baton Rouge	$941K
2024-09-11	Hurricane (Typhoon)Assumption Parish · forecast zone Assumption	$941K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

Federal disaster declarations for hurricane and tropical storm records in Louisiana

FEMA has declared 46 disasters in Louisiana for hurricane and tropical storm, counting its incident type and declarations that name hurricane or tropical storm or typhoon in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 30 were major disasters, the latest on June 30, 2026.

The 12 most recent
Declared	Number	Title	Areas named
2026-06-30	DR-4927	Tropical Storm Arthur	9
2024-09-16	DR-4817	Hurricane Francine	22
2024-09-10	EM-3614	Tropical Storm Francine	64
2021-09-13	EM-3574	Tropical Storm Nicholas	64
2021-08-29	DR-4611	Hurricane Ida	64
2021-08-27	EM-3568	Tropical Storm Ida	64
2021-01-12	DR-4577	Hurricane Zeta	35
2020-10-27	EM-3549	Tropical Storm Zeta	64
2020-10-16	DR-4570	Hurricane Delta	64
2020-10-07	EM-3547	Hurricane Delta	64
2020-09-14	EM-3543	Hurricane Sally	64
2020-08-28	DR-4559	Hurricane Laura	64

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.