Hurricanes on the Virgin Islands
Hurricanes only occur occasionally on the Virgin Islands. On average, they happen about 4 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Saint Croix Island and Saint Thomas Island.The hurricane season usually lasts from early June to late November.
The most severe hurricane to make landfall on the Virgin Islands in the past 12 months was »Fiona«. It reached a wind speed of up to 139 km/h on September 18, 2022 at 2:00 pm local time near Charlotte Amalie and was 79 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 1 hurricane. On the open sea, speeds of up to 222 km/h were measured (category 4).
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Current satellite image of the North Atlantic
09.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent hurricanes on the Virgin Islands since 2018
Nicole: November 6-11, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On November 6th, 2022 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 134 km northeast of Charlotte Amalie in Saint Thomas Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hatillo in Puerto Rico on November 6th at 8:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Hatillo in Puerto Rico on November 6th at 8:00 am.
Nicole: November 5-11, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On November 6th, 2022 at 8:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 134 km northeast of Charlotte Amalie in Saint Thomas Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Pole Ojea in Puerto Rico on November 5th at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Pole Ojea in Puerto Rico on November 5th at 8:00 pm.
Lisa: October 27 to November 5, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On October 28th, 2022 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 413 km southeast of Saint Croix in Saint Croix Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on October 28th at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on October 28th at 8:00 pm.
Ian: September 22 to October 1, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 259 km/h
Diameter:
max. 845 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 22nd, 2022 at 11:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 461 km southeast of Saint Croix in Saint Croix Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 8:00 pm.
Ian: September 19 to October 2, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 22nd, 2022 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 468 km southeast of Saint Croix in Saint Croix Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Kralendijk in Caribbean Netherlands on September 22nd at 8:00 pm.
Fiona: September 14-27, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 222 km/h
on land:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1241 km
Air pressure:
below 931 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Fiona: September 12-24, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 932 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 18th, 2022 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 66 km southeast of Saint Croix in Saint Croix Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 16th at 2:00 pm.
Earl: September 2-15, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1308 km
Air pressure:
below 948 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 4th, 2022 at 2:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 75 km northwest of Cruz Bay in Saint John Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Codrington in Antigua and Barbuda on September 2nd at 11:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Codrington in Antigua and Barbuda on September 2nd at 11:00 pm.
Earl: August 27 to September 10, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 167 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 954 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 4th, 2022 at 5:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 63 km north of Cruz Bay in Saint John Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 2nd at 8:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Grande Anse in Guadeloupe on September 2nd at 8:00 pm.
Sam: September 22 to October 7, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 2222 km
Air pressure:
below 927 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On September 30th, 2021 at 11:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 466 km northwest of Cruz Bay in Saint John Island.
Peter: September 19-22, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 1005 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Saint John Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint John Island
Saint Thomas Island
Grace: August 13-21, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 194 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 967 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Croix Island
Fred: August 9-20, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Elsa: June 30 to July 10, 2021
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall on the Virgin Islands. On July 2nd, 2021 at 8:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 163 km south of Saint Croix in Saint Croix Island.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Le Marin in Martinique on July 2nd at 8:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Le Marin in Martinique on July 2nd at 8:00 am.
Laura: August 20-29, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 741 km
Air pressure:
below 937 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Josephine: August 10-16, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 1004 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Saint John Island
Saint John Island
Isaias: July 28 to August 5, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 148 km/h
on land:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 986 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Dorian: August 24 to September 5, 2019
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 296 km/h
on land:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 910 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
Saint Croix Island
Saint Thomas Island
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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