Storms near Mexico
The record holds 729 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Mexico between 1851 and 2026. The busiest month is September, with 229 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 5 strength. 38 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 729storms within 50 km
- 73major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 276at category 1 strength or more
A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.
How strong were the storms near Mexico?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 100 | 14% |
| Tropical storm | 315 | 43% |
| Category 1 | 137 | 19% |
| Category 2 | 66 | 9% |
| Category 3 | 37 | 5% |
| Category 4 | 28 | 4% |
| Category 5 | 8 | 1% |
| Unknown intensity | 38 | 5% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, eastern Pacific).
Mexico storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2026, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1851, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1850s | 14 |
| 1860s | 9 |
| 1870s | 11 |
| 1880s | 18 |
| 1890s | 22 |
| 1900s | 12 |
| 1910s | 13 |
| 1920s | 12 |
| 1930s | 30 |
| 1940s | 21 |
| 1950s | 55 |
| 1960s | 60 |
| 1970s | 88 |
| 1980s | 62 |
| 1990s | 77 |
| 2000s | 73 |
| 2010s | 93 |
| 2020s | 59 |
Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 13 |
| Jun | 107 |
| Jul | 84 |
| Aug | 138 |
| Sep | 229 |
| Oct | 142 |
| Nov | 16 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near Mexico
- Patricia (2015)20 October 2015 to 24 October 2015, peak Category 5 (185 kt), 872 hPa
- Allen (1980)31 July 1980 to 11 August 1980, peak Category 5 (165 kt), 899 hPa
- Gilbert (1988)8 September 1988 to 20 September 1988, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 888 hPa
- Linda (1997)9 September 1997 to 17 September 1997, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 902 hPa
- Janet (1955)21 September 1955 to 30 September 1955, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 914 hPa
- Anita (1977)29 August 1977 to 3 September 1977, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 926 hPa
Most recent storms near Mexico
- Rachel (2026)25 September 2026 to 11 October 2026, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 950 hPa, provisional
- Polo (2026)17 September 2026 to 30 September 2026, Category 3 (100 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 892 hPa, provisional
- Boris (2026)5 June 2026 to 9 June 2026, peak Tropical storm (40 kt), 1,001 hPa, provisional
- Mario (2025)11 September 2025 to 18 September 2025, peak Tropical storm (55 kt), 994 hPa
- Barry (2025)28 June 2025 to 30 June 2025, peak Tropical storm (40 kt), 1,006 hPa
Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.
Mexico ranks number 7 among countries and territories for the number of storms.
Notable storms near Mexico with their own pages
- Patricia (2015)20 October 2015 to 24 October 2015, peak Category 5 (185 kt), 872 hPa
- Allen (1980)31 July 1980 to 11 August 1980, peak Category 5 (165 kt), 899 hPa
- Gilbert (1988)8 September 1988 to 20 September 1988, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 888 hPa
- Linda (1997)9 September 1997 to 17 September 1997, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 902 hPa
- Janet (1955)21 September 1955 to 30 September 1955, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 914 hPa
- Anita (1977)29 August 1977 to 3 September 1977, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 926 hPa
- Dean (2007)13 August 2007 to 23 August 2007, peak Category 5 (150 kt), 907 hPa
- Otis (2023)21 October 2023 to 25 October 2023, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 924 hPa
- Carmen (1974)29 August 1974 to 10 September 1974, peak Category 4 (135 kt), 928 hPa
- Hernan (2002)30 August 2002 to 6 September 2002, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 921 hPa
- Juliette (1995)16 September 1995 to 26 September 1995, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 930 hPa
- Kenna (2002)22 October 2002 to 26 October 2002, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 913 hPa
Mexico regions
Regions (first-level divisions) that storms have come within 50 km of at least 5 times, most storms first.
| Region | Storms | Strongest near the region |
|---|---|---|
| Colima | 207 | Category 5 |
| Quintana Roo | 175 | Category 5 |
| Veracruz | 119 | Category 3 |
| Tamaulipas | 115 | Category 5 |
| Campeche | 104 | Category 5 |
| Yucatán | 102 | Category 5 |
| Baja California Sur | 93 | Category 4 |
| Sinaloa | 60 | Category 4 |
| Jalisco | 59 | Category 5 |
| Nuevo León | 56 | Category 3 |
| Oaxaca | 56 | Category 4 |
| San Luis Potosí | 56 | Category 3 |
| Michoacán | 54 | Category 4 |
| Chiapas | 52 | Category 1 |
| Nayarit | 51 | Category 4 |
| Tabasco | 51 | Category 1 |
| Puebla | 47 | Category 3 |
| Guerrero | 46 | Category 5 |
| Sonora | 41 | Category 4 |
| Hidalgo | 39 | Category 3 |
| Coahuila | 38 | Category 1 |
| Durango | 35 | Category 4 |
| Baja California | 31 | Category 1 |
| Chihuahua | 27 | Category 3 |
| Zacatecas | 19 | Category 4 |
| Querétaro | 18 | Category 1 |
| México | 13 | Category 2 |
| Tlaxcala | 11 | Category 2 |
| Guanajuato | 10 | Category 1 |
| Aguascalientes | 7 | Tropical storm |