This list includes all tropical cyclones that have struck one or all of the above territories. For the period that reasonably reliable records exist, tropical storms strike the Territory on average approximately once every 8 years, although that includes strikes which only affected the northernmost (and lightly populated) island of Anegada.
In the 20th century, the Virgin Islands experienced 13 hurricanes, but they came largely in two clusters. The Territory experienced five hurricanes from 1916 to 1932 (inclusive), and then only one during the next 57 years. But then between 1989 and 1999 (inclusive) seven hurricanes struck the Territory (including six in the space of four years from 1995–1999). That was then followed by another 11-year hiatus without any hurricane strikes.
Eye passed over the south of Saint Croix. Caused catastrophic damage. Struck two weeks after Hurricane Irma. In the intervening period another major hurricane (Hurricane Jose) narrowly missed the Territory.[2]
Known locally as "wrong-way" Lenny, it is the only known Caribbean forming hurricane to strike the Territory. Passed well to the south, causing only light damage.[9]
Eye passed directly over the Territory.[19] The storm was well documented by Agnes "Cuckoo" Hancock, wife of Commissioner Otho Lewis Hancock. Her letters are preserved in the Government House museum.[20][21]
Prior to 1850 hurricane reports are sporadic and not generally reliable. Only well known or observed storms are generally recorded. Because the British Virgin Islands were sparsely populated during this period, records often do not indicate even if well-known storms struck the Territory.
Eye is believed to have passed some distance to the south the Territory. No deaths are recorded, but a Quaker settlement was reported as abandoned because of the hurricane.[33]
Footnotes
^Refers to maximum wind-strength experienced in the British Virgin Islands –
not overall maximum wind-strength of the storm.
^Rappaport, Edward N; National Hurricane Center (17 January 1996). Hurricane Marilyn: September 12–22, 1995(PDF) (Preliminary Report). United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
^"Monthly Weather Review"(PDF). Archived from the original on 4 October 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Mújica-Baker, Frank. Huracanes y Tormentas que han afectado a Puerto Rico(PDF). Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, Agencia Estatal para el manejo de Emergencias y Administracion de Desastres. pp. 9–10. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
^José Fernández Partagás (2003). "Year 1866"(PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 4 June 2011.