Lee County, Alabama Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1852, 32 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lee County, Alabama — about one every 5.4 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Nicole (2022), which passed 44 miles away on 11 November 2022.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentNicole (2022) — 44 mi away, 11 November 2022
- Strongest stormEloise (1975) — 73 kt (84 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1852) — 3.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles21 of 32
- Peak monthSeptember — 14 storms (44% of all)
- Most active year1950 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1950s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1852–2022
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole (2022) | 11 Nov 2022 | 44.1 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Fred (2021) | 17 Aug 2021 | 7.0 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Sally (2020) | 17 Sep 2020 | 6.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Irma (2017) | 12 Sep 2017 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Frances (2004) | 7 Sep 2004 | 16.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Hanna (2002) | 15 Sep 2002 | 4.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 12 Jun 2001 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Alberto (1994) | 4 Jul 1994 | 4.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Eloise (1975) | 23 Sep 1975 | 26.5 mi | Cat 1 | 64 kt |
| Becky (1970) | 22 Jul 1970 | 12.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Irene (1959) | 9 Oct 1959 | 49.4 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Debbie (1957) | 9 Sep 1957 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| King (1950) | 19 Oct 1950 | 27.2 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 7 Sep 1950 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 16 Oct 1947 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 15 Aug 1928 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 29 Jul 1926 | 16.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Sep 1915 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 14 Jun 1912 | 39.8 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 13 Jun 1906 | 20.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 15 Sep 1903 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 14 Jun 1901 | 18.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 15 Sep 1900 | 43.7 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 1 Sep 1898 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 3 Oct 1893 | 10.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1889) | 23 Sep 1889 | 42.2 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 28 Jul 1887 | 9.7 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 10 Sep 1882 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1881) | 28 Aug 1881 | 24.5 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1859) | 16 Sep 1859 | 11.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 6 Sep 2011 | 41.8 mi | 23 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 14 Aug 2010 | 22.2 mi | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | Post-tropical | 22 Sep 1907 | 47.7 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | Post-tropical | 11 Oct 1902 | 22.2 mi | 35 kt |
How Lee County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Lee County, Alabama ranks #473 — more exposed than 78.6% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #36 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Eloise (1975) passed 26 miles away on 23 September 1975 as a hurricane, reaching 73 kt (84 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1882) passed 41 miles away on 10 September 1882 as a tropical storm, reaching 56 kt (64 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 11 miles away on 3 October 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 52 kt (60 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1915) passed 12 miles away on 4 September 1915 as a tropical storm, reaching 47 kt (54 mph) while within 50 miles.
31 of the 32 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 5.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 32 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 22 years, between 1859 and 1881. It has been 3 years since the last one; 14 of the 29 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Lee County, Alabama?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Lee County, Alabama at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 32.
When was the last hurricane in Lee County, Alabama?
Eloise (1975), on 23 September 1975, passing 26 miles away — 51 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Nicole (2022) in 2022.
What was the strongest storm to affect Lee County, Alabama?
Eloise (1975), which reached 73 kt (84 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 26 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Lee County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 5.4 years — 32 storms over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Lee County, Alabama borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Russell County, Alabama has 38 on record.