Hurricane Season in the Virgin Islands: Storm Odds by Month
Quick answer: the Virgin Islands’ hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with August and September the busiest months. In the last 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix or Tortola in 26 of 50 seasons, and a hurricane came within 50 miles of at least one of them in 10 of 50 seasons.
Pick where you are going and when. See in how many of the last 50 hurricane seasons a tropical storm or hurricane came within 100 miles on those dates, and which nearby weeks were calmer.
Key West · Sep 10–16
2 of 50 seasonsA tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Key West on these dates in 2 of the 50 seasons 1976–2025: 4%.
- Within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 100 miles
- 1 of 50
- Safest dates within 4 weeks: Oct 1–7 (0 of 50 seasons), 3 weeks later.
- Storms on these dates: Sally 2020, Irma 2017.
- In 1976–2025, storms came within 100 miles of Key West between Jul 6 and Nov 19.
Historical frequency from NOAA’s best tracks for 1976–2025, not a forecast. For storms this season, see the National Hurricane Center.
The tool above opens on St. Thomas for September 10–16: change the dates to yours, or pick St. John, St. Croix and Tortola. Below, the Virgin Islands’s whole record, 1976–2025.
Place by place
| Place | Storm within 100 mi | Hurricane within 50 mi | Busiest week |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Thomas | 25 of 50 seasons | 7 of 50 seasons | Aug 20–26 (5) |
| St. John | 25 of 50 seasons | 8 of 50 seasons | Aug 20–26 (5) |
| St. Croix | 25 of 50 seasons | 8 of 50 seasons | Aug 20–26 (4) |
| Tortola | 25 of 50 seasons | 10 of 50 seasons | Aug 20–26 (5) |
Hurricane season in the Virgin Islands, month by month
In how many of the 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of each place at some point in that month.
| Month | St. Thomas | St. John | St. Croix | Tortola | Any of them |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| August | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| September | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| October | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| November | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Hugo (1989), Marilyn (1995) and Irma (2017) passed within 50 miles of St. Thomas as hurricanes; Maria (2017) did the same at St. Croix two weeks after Irma.
The busiest week
St. Thomas: Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 5 of 50 seasons (1 other week ties). St. John: Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 5 of 50 seasons (1 other week ties). St. Croix: Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 4 of 50 seasons (2 other weeks tie). Tortola: Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 5 of 50 seasons (1 other week ties). The chart in the tool shows all 52 weeks.
Every storm within 100 miles since 1976 (37)
| Storm | Within 100 miles | Closest | Near |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernesto (2024) | Aug 13–14 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Philippe (2023) | Oct 3–4 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Earl (2022) | Sep 3–4 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola |
| Fiona (2022) | Sep 17–18 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Croix |
| Fred (2021) | Aug 10–11 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix |
| Laura (2020) | Aug 22 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Dorian (2019) | Aug 28–29 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Karen (2019) | Sep 24–25 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Irma (2017) | Sep 6 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Maria (2017) | Sep 19–20 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Erika (2015) | Aug 27–28 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Bertha (2014) | Aug 2 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Croix |
| Gonzalo (2014) | Oct 14 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola |
| Rafael (2012) | Oct 13–14 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Irene (2011) | Aug 21–22 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Maria (2011) | Sep 11 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola |
| Earl (2010) | Aug 30–31 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Omar (2008) | Oct 15–16 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Chris (2006) | Aug 2 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Tortola |
| Jeanne (2004) | Sep 14–15 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Dean (2001) | Aug 22 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Debby (2000) | Aug 22 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Jose (1999) | Oct 21–22 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Lenny (1999) | Nov 17–18 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Bonnie (1998) | Aug 21 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola |
| Georges (1998) | Sep 21–22 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Bertha (1996) | Jul 8 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Hortense (1996) | Sep 9–10 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Croix |
| Luis (1995) | Sep 6 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola |
| Marilyn (1995) | Sep 15–16 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Klaus (1990) | Oct 7 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Hugo (1989) | Sep 17–18 | a hurricane within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Klaus (1984) | Nov 7–8 | a hurricane within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Floyd (1981) | Sep 4–5 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Gert (1981) | Sep 8 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Claudette (1979) | Jul 17–18 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
| Frederic (1979) | Sep 3–4 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola |
When the season runs
the Virgin Islands is in the Atlantic basin, whose hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (source). The season is when storms are likely, not the only time they can form: the table above counts every storm, whenever it came.
Plan it
- Are the US Virgin Islands worth visiting?
- Are the British Virgin Islands worth visiting?
- Things to do in the US Virgin Islands
- Hurricane risk for your exact dates in St. Thomas
- St. Thomas’s weather, month by month
FAQ
When is hurricane season in the Virgin Islands?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10. In 50 seasons (1976–2025), the storms that came within 100 miles of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix or Tortola did so between July 8 and November 18, most often in August.
Does the Virgin Islands get hurricanes?
Yes. In 50 seasons, a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix or Tortola in 26, and a hurricane came within 50 miles in 10: Dorian (2019), Irma (2017), Maria (2017), Earl (2010) and 8 more.
What is the worst month for hurricanes in the Virgin Islands?
August: a storm came within 100 miles in 12 of the 50 seasons, then September with 11.
What is the safest time to visit the Virgin Islands in hurricane season?
Within the season, June: no storm came within 100 miles in any of the 50 seasons. Outside June 1 to November 30, no storm came near at all.
How these numbers are made
From NOAA’s best tracks (HURDAT2), every storm’s centre is followed hour by hour and measured against each place; a season counts once it had a tropical storm or hurricane within 100 miles (or 50) on at least one day. It is history, not a forecast: for a storm that exists today, read the National Hurricane Center.