Marengo County, Alabama Hurricane History
Since 1852, 40 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Marengo County, Alabama — about one every 4.3 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Claudette (2021), which passed 10 miles away on 19 June 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentClaudette (2021) — 10 mi away, 19 June 2021
- Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 68 kt (78 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1912) — 6.4 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles22 of 40
- Peak monthSeptember — 13 storms (32% of all)
- Most active year1912 — 3 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 8 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1852–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claudette (2021) | 19 Jun 2021 | 10.3 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 10.4 mi | Cat 1 | 64 kt |
| Nate (2017) | 8 Oct 2017 | 12.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Claudette (2009) | 17 Aug 2009 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 24 Aug 2008 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Dennis (2005) | 11 Jul 2005 | 22.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | 6 Jul 2005 | 18.8 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Arlene (2005) | 12 Jun 2005 | 7.4 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 16 Sep 2004 | 18.8 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 47.0 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Barry (2001) | 6 Aug 2001 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 21 Jul 1997 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1987) | 13 Aug 1987 | 39.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Frederic (1979) | 13 Sep 1979 | 49.4 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1977) | 19 Jul 1977 | 21.0 mi | TD | — |
| Edith (1971) | 17 Sep 1971 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 1 Jun 1959 | 34.6 mi | TS / TD | 23 kt |
| Baker (1950) | 31 Aug 1950 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1940) | 25 Sep 1940 | 44.9 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 27 Sep 1939 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 14 Aug 1939 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1937) | 1 Sep 1937 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 1 Aug 1936 | 21.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 30 Jul 1926 | 44.2 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1919) | 5 Jul 1919 | 7.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 18 Oct 1916 | 28.0 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 14 Sep 1912 | 41.6 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 17 Jul 1912 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 6.4 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 22 Sep 1907 | 15.1 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 16 Aug 1901 | 19.8 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1900) | 14 Sep 1900 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Aug 1898 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1895) | 17 Aug 1895 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 12 Sep 1892 | 12.3 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 1 Sep 1880 | 32.3 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 16 Oct 1879 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 16 Sep 1860 | 31.5 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1855) | 17 Sep 1855 | 47.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 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 | 5 Sep 2011 | 26.6 mi | 35 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 13 Aug 2010 | 32.5 mi | 21 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 16 Oct 1932 | 6.8 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1922) | Post-tropical | 17 Oct 1922 | 46.4 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
2 named storms in this record passed Marengo County, Alabama more than once.
- Arlene — 2 passes (1959, 2005)
- Claudette — 2 passes (2009, 2021)
How Marengo County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Marengo County, Alabama ranks #317 — more exposed than 85.6% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #15 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Zeta (2020) passed 10 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a hurricane, reaching 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Ivan (2004) passed 19 miles away on 16 September 2004 as a hurricane, reaching 66 kt (76 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Frederic (1979) passed 49 miles away on 13 September 1979 as a hurricane, reaching 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 28 miles away on 18 October 1916 as a hurricane, reaching 61 kt (70 mph) while within 50 miles.
37 of the 40 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 4.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 40 storms spread over the 174 years from 1852 to 2025. 3 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 4 years since the last one; 14 of the 34 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Marengo County, Alabama?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Marengo County, Alabama at hurricane strength since 1852. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 40.
When was the last hurricane in Marengo County, Alabama?
Zeta (2020), on 29 October 2020, passing 10 miles away — 6 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Claudette (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Marengo County, Alabama?
Zeta (2020), which reached 68 kt (78 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 10 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Marengo County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 4.3 years — 40 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
Marengo County, Alabama borders or sits close to 8 other counties with a published storm record. Clarke County, Alabama has 49 on record.