Hurricane History Map

Hurricanes that hit Los Angeles County, California: hurricane history

3 storms have passed within 50 km of Los Angeles County from 1972 to 1978, coloured by intensity on the map.

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Years1842 to 2026
Ocean basin

Choosing a minimum category hides storms with no wind speed in the record. To see which storms have passed near you, search a town or ZIP code, or tap the map.

Key
  • Tropical depression Winds below 34 knots (39 mph)
  • Tropical storm 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph)
  • Category 1 64 to 82 knots (74 to 95 mph)
  • Category 2 83 to 95 knots (96 to 110 mph)
  • Category 3 96 to 112 knots (111 to 129 mph), major
  • Category 4 113 to 136 knots (130 to 156 mph), major
  • Category 5 137 knots (157 mph) or more, major
  • Unknown intensity No wind speed in the record
  • Post-tropical Storm has become post-tropical (dashed line)

How to read the lines. Each line is the track of one storm, drawn through its six-hourly positions and coloured by its intensity at each point (the Saffir-Simpson scale), so a line changes colour as the storm strengthens or weakens. Tap a line for its details, or tap anywhere else to see which storms have passed nearby. Weaker storms appear as you zoom in. Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are the same kind of storm with different names in different oceans.

Storms near Los Angeles County

The record holds 3 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Los Angeles County, California between 1972 and 1978. The busiest month is September, with 2 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached tropical depression strength.

  • 3storms within 50 km
  • 0major (category 3 to 5) near here
  • 0at 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 Los Angeles County?

Category near hereStormsShare
Tropical depression3100%
Tropical storm00%
Category 100%
Category 200%
Category 300%
Category 400%
Category 500%
Unknown intensity00%

The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, eastern Pacific).

Los Angeles County storms over time

Storms by decade
Bar chart of storms by period. The most is 3 in 1970s.1970s3

The 1970s only run to 1978, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1972, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.

Show the numbers
PeriodCount
1970s3

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.

Storms by month
Bar chart of storms by period. The most is 2 in Sep.Jan0Feb0Mar0Apr0May0Jun0Jul0Aug1Sep2Oct0Nov0Dec0
Show the numbers
PeriodCount
Jan0
Feb0
Mar0
Apr0
May0
Jun0
Jul0
Aug1
Sep2
Oct0
Nov0
Dec0

Most recent storms near Los Angeles County

  • Norman (1978)30 August 1978 to 7 September 1978, Tropical depression (30 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt)
  • Doreen (1977)13 August 1977 to 18 August 1977, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Category 1 (65 kt), 979 hPa
  • Hyacinth (1972)28 August 1972 to 7 September 1972, Tropical depression (30 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 962 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.

A storm that came near several counties counts in each one, so county counts add up to more than the state's.

Notable storms near Los Angeles County

  • Norman (1978)30 August 1978 to 7 September 1978, peak Category 4 (120 kt)
  • Hyacinth (1972)28 August 1972 to 7 September 1972, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 962 hPa

More in California

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