Storms near St. Thomas Island
The record holds 41 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of St. Thomas Island, United States Virgin Islands between 1852 and 2024. The busiest month is September, with 15 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 5 strength. 5 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 41storms within 50 km
- 6major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 18at 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 St. Thomas Island?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 2 | 5% |
| Tropical storm | 16 | 39% |
| Category 1 | 7 | 17% |
| Category 2 | 5 | 12% |
| Category 3 | 3 | 7% |
| Category 4 | 2 | 5% |
| Category 5 | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown intensity | 5 | 12% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
St. Thomas Island storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2024, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1852, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1850s | 2 |
| 1860s | 2 |
| 1870s | 5 |
| 1880s | 2 |
| 1890s | 2 |
| 1900s | 1 |
| 1910s | 1 |
| 1920s | 2 |
| 1930s | 4 |
| 1940s | 2 |
| 1950s | 1 |
| 1970s | 4 |
| 1980s | 2 |
| 1990s | 3 |
| 2000s | 3 |
| 2010s | 4 |
| 2020s | 1 |
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 | 0 |
| Jun | 0 |
| Jul | 3 |
| Aug | 12 |
| Sep | 15 |
| Oct | 7 |
| Nov | 3 |
| Dec | 1 |
Strongest storms near St. Thomas Island
- Irma (2017)30 August 2017 to 13 September 2017, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 914 hPa
- Unnamed storm of September 1932 (North Atlantic)25 September 1932 to 2 October 1932, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 943 hPa
- Hugo (1989)10 September 1989 to 25 September 1989, Category 4 (120 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 918 hPa
- Unnamed storm of October 1867 (North Atlantic)27 October 1867 to 1 November 1867, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 952 hPa
- Unnamed storm of August 1871 (North Atlantic)17 August 1871 to 31 August 1871, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 962 hPa
Most recent storms near St. Thomas Island
- Ernesto (2024)11 August 2024 to 20 August 2024, Tropical storm (60 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (85 kt), 967 hPa
- Karen (2019)22 September 2019 to 27 September 2019, peak Tropical storm (40 kt), 1,003 hPa
- Dorian (2019)24 August 2019 to 9 September 2019, Category 1 (75 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 910 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 St. Thomas Island
- Dorian (2019)24 August 2019 to 9 September 2019, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 910 hPa
- Irma (2017)30 August 2017 to 13 September 2017, peak Category 5 (155 kt), 914 hPa
- Hugo (1989)10 September 1989 to 25 September 1989, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 918 hPa
- Frederic (1979)29 August 1979 to 15 September 1979, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 943 hPa
- Bertha (1996)5 July 1996 to 17 July 1996, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 960 hPa
- Marilyn (1995)12 September 1995 to 1 October 1995, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 950 hPa