Based on daily meteorological data of six observation stations surrounding Laoyemiao waters from 1959 to 2015, hourly observation data at Poyang Lake Xingzi automatic meteorological station, the historical surface weather map of the Asia Pacific region, and the western North Pacific tropical cyclone database, the possible causes of 8 shipwrecks in Laoyemiao water area since 1970 from the perspective of meteorology were analyzed. Results show that changes of wind speed, direction and seasonal gales in Laoyemiao waters are closely related to the local topography and special synoptic systems. The eight shipwrecks were all associated with strong winds, occurring in the winter half year when cold air (cold high pressure) and fronts are the main transit weather systems, and in the summer half year when they are susceptible to tropical cyclones. The wave height in Laoyemiao waters is highly related to the strong winds, and all maximum wave heights causing 8 shipwrecks are higher than 1 m. Strong winds and their frequent changes in direction lead to sudden increase of wind and changes of wave height and/or wave propagation direction in Laoyemiao waters, causing the vessel to be suddenly subjected to crosswind and wave action.