Hurricane Risk for New Orleans, LA
HELENE is currently 360 mi from New Orleans.
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Since 1851, 0 hurricanes and tropical storms have passed within 150 miles of New Orleans. Here's what you should know.
Local note: Much of New Orleans sits at or below sea level behind levees, making storm surge and catastrophic flooding the dominant threats — Hurricane Ida (2021) and Katrina (2005) underscored how levee breaches and prolonged rainfall can devastate the city.
By the numbers
Total storms
0
since None
Major (Cat 3+)
0
at closest approach
Hurricanes (Cat 1+)
0
all categories
County
Orleans Parish
Louisiana
The full risk breakdown for New Orleans
See the strongest and closest hurricanes ever to pass nearby, the month-by-month climatology of when storms hit New Orleans, the notable storms of the last 20 years, and any active-storm threat — plus free location-based alerts.
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Preparedness
- Know your zone. New Orleans is in Orleans Parish — look up your evacuation zone here.
- Get alerts early. Sign up below — we'll notify you when storms first form in the basin, not just when they're at your doorstep.
- Have 3+ days of supplies. Water (1 gal/person/day), non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, cash.
- Have an evacuation plan. Know where you'll go, how you'll get there, what you'll bring.
- Follow official orders. If your zone is told to evacuate, leave. Don't wait.