List of Louisiana hurricanes (2000–present)

From 2000 to the present, at least 28 tropical or subtropical cyclones affected the U.S. state of Louisiana. According to David Roth of the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC), a tropical cyclone makes landfall along the coastline about two times every three years, and a hurricane makes landfall once every 2.8 years.^[1]

The most active month for tropical cyclone activity in the state is September, with ten total storms, while no recorded storms have affected Louisiana during the months of December through May. The most intense storm to affect the state in terms of barometric pressure is Hurricane Katrina of 2005, which also caused the most fatalities and damage with 1,577 total deaths and $81 billion in total damages.^{[nb 1]} Katrina is also the costliest hurricane in the Atlantic basin. The first storm to impact the state was Tropical Depression Nine in 2000, with the latest being Hurricane Isaac in 2012. In terms of wind speed, Hurricane Katrina is also the strongest storm to affect the state, producing maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (201 km/h), equivalent to Category 3 on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.

2000–2003

• September 9, 2000 – Tropical Depression Nine makes landfall near the Texas and Louisiana border as a tropical depression with winds of 30 mph (48 km/h).^[2] Although the depression makes landfall on Texas, most of the rain associated with the system affects Louisiana, where rainfall peaks at 6.70 in (17.0 cm).^[3] At the coast, Tropical Depression Nine brings a storm surge peaking at 3 ft (0.91 m).^[4] In Terrebonne Parish, strong thunderstorm winds associated with the depression damage trailers and boats in Bayou Black, resulting in $2,500 in damages.^[5]

• Early–June 2001 – Tropical Storm Allison makes landfall near Freeport, Texas on June 5, consequently stalling over the state before moving offshore and subsequently making a second landfall on Morgan City as a subtropical depression on June 11 with winds of 30 mph (48 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1,004 mbar (29.6 inHg).^[6] This results in catastrophic flooding across the state.^[7] Rainfall from Allison peaks at 29.92 in (76.0 cm) in Thibodaux,^[8] ranking as the second–wettest tropical cyclone in state history, only behind a hurricane in 1940.^[9] Major river flooding occurs in Amite River and Comite River, which experience their highest water levels since 1983. Homes are destroyed and swept away by flooding across the state.^[10] In Zachary, a man is killed after a tornado knocks a tree onto his truck.^[1] Damages from Tropical Storm Allison in Louisiana alone total to $65 million.^[11]

• August 6, 2001 – Tropical Storm Barry causes tides of 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) along the southeastern coast of Louisiana before it makes landfall on Santa Rosa Beach, Florida on August 6. Prior to making landfall, tropical storm watches and warnings are issued along the Gulf Coast, west to New Orleans.^[12]

• August 5, 2002 – Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall on Boothville as a minimal tropical storm with wind speeds of 40 mph (64 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1,008 mbar (29.8 inHg), moving across Louisiana as a weakening system before moving back into the Gulf of Mexico on August 7.^[13] The storm drops scattered rainfall across the state, peaking southwest of Franklinton at 10.25 in (26.0 cm).^[14] Streets were flooded by the heavy rainfall in Slidell.^[15] In St. Tammany Parish, surface runoff from flash flooding causes some rivers to exceed flood stage.^[16]

• September 5, 2002 – Tropical Storm Fay develops offshore the Louisiana coast before making landfall in Texas as a moderate tropical storm. West of Cameron, Fay causes a storm surge as high as 2.5 ft (0.76 m), resulting in minor beach erosion and coastal highway flooding.^[17] Tropical Storm Fay's outer rainbands drop light rainfall over eastern and southern portions of the state, peaking at 4.64 in (11.8 cm) in Grand Isle.^[8] Prior to making landfall, a tropical storm warning is issued for western parts of Louisiana east to Intracoastal City.^[18]

• September 14, 2002 – Tropical Storm Hanna makes landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River as a moderate tropical storm with winds of 50 mph (80 km/h), before subsequently making landfall on the border between Alabama and Mississippi.^[19] Despite making landfall on Louisiana, as a result of convection displaced east of the center, the state receives primarily minimal effects from Hanna. No significant flooding resulted from high tides caused by the storm.^[20] Rainfall is confined to extreme eastern portions of the state, where rainfall peaks at 1.72 in (4.4 cm) in Sondeheimer, Louisiana.^[8]

• September 26, 2002 – Hurricane Isidore makes landfall just west of Grand Isle as a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h), having significantly weakened after stalling over the Yucatán Peninsula.^[21] Rainfall is widespread across the state, peaking at 15.97 in (406 mm) in Metarie.^[8] The heavy rains cause the failure of drainage systems, leaving numerous streets flooded. In Terrebonne Parish, 200–300 homes are flooded. The rains also damage large plots of sugar cane crop in Southwest Louisiana.^[20]

• October 3, 2002 – Hurricane Lili made landfall on the morning of October 3 near Intracoastal City, as a weakening category 1 hurricane. Wind gusts reaching 120 mph (190 km/h), coupled with over 6 inches (150 mm) of rainfall and a storm surge of 12 feet (3.7 m) caused over $790 million (2002 USD) in damage to Louisiana. A total of 237,000 people lost power, and oil rigs offshore were shut down for up to a week. Crops were badly affected, particularly the sugar cane, damage totaled nearly $175 million (2002 USD). No direct deaths were reported as early warnings and the compact nature of the storm circumvented major loss of life.

• June 30, 2003 – Tropical Storm Bill

• August 31, 2003 – Tropical Storm Grace

2004–2007

• September 23, 2004 – Hurricane Ivan

• October 10, 2004 – Tropical Storm Matthew formed over the western Gulf of Mexico on October 8 and struck south-central Louisiana two days later. Upon making landfall, Matthew caused a storm surge of up to 5.85 feet (1.8 m) in Frenier, Louisiana. The storm surge and waves resulted in significant beach erosion in Grand Isle. Matthew produced heavy rainfall across its path, totaling to 16.23 inches (410 mm) in Reserve in the southeastern portion of the state. Portions of northwestern Louisiana experienced significant rainfall, including a peak of 18 inches (460 mm) in Haynesville near the Louisiana/Arkansas border. In addition, Matthew spawned one tornado, causing damage to the roof of a trailer in Golden Meadow. The rainfall also caused rivers to crest higher than normal, including the Killian River which peaked at 5.7 feet (1.7 m).

Rainfall and storm surge flooded 20 homes in Terrebonne Parish. In addition, several homes in Lafouche Parish experienced flooding, including two with over two feet of water. Numerous homes in Golden Meadow experienced flooding, as well. The flooding also forced the temporary closing of numerous roads across the state, including portions of U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 10. Flood waters from the storm cracked a water line in LaPlace, leaving nearly 30,000 residents and many businesses without tap water. The problem was expected to take little time to fix, though residents were advise to boil the water before drinking it. Matthew also left 2,500 people without power for a short period of time. The storm's impact also closed several schools, forcing school administrators to reschedule plans for making up school closings caused by Hurricane Ivan one month earlier. In all, Matthew caused no deaths and $255,000 in damage (2004 USD).

• June 11, 2005 – Tropical Storm Arlene

• July 5, 2005 – Hurricane Cindy initially formed on July 3 just east of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. The depression soon made landfall on the peninsula and weakened before reemerging in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4. The storm strengthened as it moved north becoming a hurricane just before making landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana, on July 5. Cindy was originally thought to have been a tropical storm at peak strength, but was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane in the post-storm analysis.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, wind gusts reached 70 mph (110 km/h), many trees were damaged or uprooted and scattered street flooding was reported. As thousands lost electrical power, the city experienced its worst blackout since Hurricane Betsy 40 years earlier, only to be trumped by Hurricane Katrina less than 8 weeks later.

• July 10, 2005 – Hurricane Dennis

• August 29, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina

• September 24, 2005 – Hurricane Rita

• September 13, 2007 – Hurricane Humberto

• September 22, 2007 – Tropical Depression Ten

2008–present

• August 4, 2008 – Tropical Storm Edouard

• August 31, 2008 – Hurricane Gustav reached the Louisiana coast on the morning of September 1, making landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana. The center of the storm continued northwest across the state, so damage and deaths were widespread in many areas; 34 parishes were declared as disaster areas.

• November 10, 2009 – Hurricane Ida

• July 25, 2010 – Tropical Storm Bonnie

• Mid–August 2010 – Tropical Depression Five

• September 4, 2011 – Tropical Storm Lee

• August 29, 2012 – Hurricane Isaac

Monthly statistics

Number of recorded storms affecting Louisiana

Month	Number of storms
June	3
July	3
August	9
September	10
October	2
November	1

Deadly storms

The following is a list of hurricanes that caused known deaths in the state.

Hurricanes causing known deaths in Louisiana

Name	Year	Number of deaths	Notes
Katrina	2005	1,577	[1]
Gustav	2008	7	[22]
Allison	2001	1	[11]
Isidore	2002	1	[21]
Rita	2005	1	[23]

See also

• List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
• List of Atlantic hurricanes
• List of wettest known tropical cyclones affecting Louisiana

Notes

References

List of United States hurricanes United States Arizona California Delaware Florida pre-1900 1900–1949 1950–1974 1975–1999 2000–present Hawaii Louisiana 2000–present Maryland 1950–1979 1980–present New England New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina pre-1900 1900–1949 1950–1979 1980–1999 2000–present Pennsylvania Texas pre-1900 1900–1949 1950–1979 1980–present