Covington County, Alabama Hurricane History
Since 1859, 51 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Covington County, Alabama — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 10 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Sally (2020), which passed 27 miles away on 16 September 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentSally (2020) — 27 mi away, 16 September 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1882) — 102 kt (117 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1937) — 4.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Eloise (1975) — 22.0 miles
- Passes within 25 miles17 of 51
- Peak monthSeptember — 16 storms (31% of all)
- Most active year1887 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1910s and 2000s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
- Record span1859–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally (2020) | 16 Sep 2020 | 27.3 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Alberto (2018) | 29 May 2018 | 10.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Claudette (2009) | 17 Aug 2009 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 24 Aug 2008 | 34.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Tammy (2005) | 6 Oct 2005 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Hanna (2002) | 15 Sep 2002 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Barry (2001) | 6 Aug 2001 | 12.3 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 12 Jun 2001 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 22 Sep 2000 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Georges (1998) | 30 Sep 1998 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Opal (1995) | 5 Oct 1995 | 17.1 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 3 Jul 1994 | 20.6 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 14 Aug 1987 | 35.8 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 31 Oct 1985 | 44.7 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 23 Sep 1975 | 22.0 mi | Cat 2 | 92 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 1 Oct 1969 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 22 Sep 1969 | 28.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1965) | 15 Jun 1965 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Irene (1959) | 8 Oct 1959 | 42.8 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Florence (1953) | 26 Sep 1953 | 42.7 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Alice (1953) | 7 Jun 1953 | 49.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 9 Jul 1948 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 11 Sep 1944 | 34.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 13 Aug 1939 | 39.4 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 31 Aug 1937 | 4.3 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 31 Jul 1936 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1923) | 26 Jun 1923 | 20.1 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 2 Oct 1919 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 4 Jul 1919 | 49.4 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1917) | 29 Sep 1917 | 35.6 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 18 Oct 1916 | 47.5 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 16 Jul 1912 | 11.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 4 Aug 1911 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 13 Jun 1906 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 3 Nov 1904 | 47.9 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 14 Sep 1903 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 11 Oct 1902 | 16.8 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 17 Sep 1901 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | 2 Aug 1899 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Aug 1898 | 17.9 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 7 Jul 1896 | 35.8 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 23 Sep 1889 | 10.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 19 Oct 1887 | 10.9 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 27 Jul 1887 | 19.4 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 29 Sep 1885 | 44.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 22.9 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 31 Aug 1880 | 49.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 16 Oct 1879 | 33.2 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 12 Aug 1860 | 6.8 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 46.5 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 3 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2009) | Post-tropical | 10 Nov 2009 | 44.5 mi | 26 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | Post-tropical | 5 Oct 1964 | 46.9 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 6 Oct 1934 | 1.3 mi | 30 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Covington County, Alabama more than once.
- Alberto — 2 passes (1994, 2018)
How Covington County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Covington County, Alabama ranks #190 — more exposed than 91.4% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #5 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1882) passed 23 miles away on 10 September 1882 as a hurricane, reaching 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Eloise (1975) passed 22 miles away on 23 September 1975 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1917) passed 36 miles away on 29 September 1917 as a hurricane, reaching 93 kt (107 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Opal (1995) passed 17 miles away on 5 October 1995 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
48 of the 51 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 51 storms spread over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025. 5 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 19 years, between 1860 and 1879. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 45 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Covington County, Alabama?
10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Covington County, Alabama at hurricane strength since 1859. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 51.
When was the last hurricane in Covington County, Alabama?
Opal (1995), on 5 October 1995, passing 17 miles away — 31 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Sally (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Covington County, Alabama?
Unnamed Storm (1882), which reached 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 23 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Covington County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.3 years — 51 storms over the 167 years from 1859 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Covington County, Alabama borders or sits close to 8 other counties with a published storm record. Walton County, Florida has 55 on record.