Storms near Fairfax County
The record holds 23 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Fairfax County, Virginia between 1861 and 2004. The busiest month is August, with 9 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 2 strength. 3 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 23storms within 50 km
- 0major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 3at 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 Fairfax County?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 7 | 30% |
| Tropical storm | 10 | 43% |
| Category 1 | 2 | 9% |
| Category 2 | 1 | 4% |
| Category 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown intensity | 3 | 13% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
Fairfax County storms over time
The 2000s only run to 2004, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1861, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1860s | 4 |
| 1870s | 2 |
| 1880s | 3 |
| 1890s | 2 |
| 1910s | 1 |
| 1930s | 3 |
| 1940s | 2 |
| 1950s | 3 |
| 1970s | 1 |
| 1990s | 1 |
| 2000s | 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 | 1 |
| Jul | 2 |
| Aug | 9 |
| Sep | 7 |
| Oct | 4 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near Fairfax County
- Unnamed storm of October 1878 (North Atlantic)13 October 1878 to 25 October 1878, peak Category 2 (90 kt), 963 hPa
- Unnamed storm of September 1876 (North Atlantic)10 September 1876 to 20 September 1876, Category 1 (70 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 980 hPa
- Unnamed storm of August 1933 (North Atlantic)13 August 1933 to 28 August 1933, Category 1 (65 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 948 hPa
- Unnamed storm of September 1863 (North Atlantic)11 September 1863 to 20 September 1863, peak Tropical storm (60 kt)
- Connie (1955)3 August 1955 to 15 August 1955, Tropical storm (60 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 944 hPa
Most recent storms near Fairfax County
- Ivan (2004)2 September 2004 to 24 September 2004, Tropical depression (15 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 910 hPa
- Beryl (1994)14 August 1994 to 19 August 1994, Tropical depression (15 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (50 kt), 1,000 hPa
- Unnamed storm of July 1972 (North Atlantic)10 July 1972 to 13 July 1972, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (35 kt), 1,014 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.