Marshall County, Alabama Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1892, 22 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Marshall County, Alabama — about one every 6.1 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Zeta (2020), which passed 47 miles away on 29 October 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentZeta (2020) — 47 mi away, 29 October 2020
- Strongest stormZeta (2020) — 55 kt (63 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1906) — 3.0 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles12 of 22
- Peak monthJuly, September and October — 5 storms (23% of all)
- Most active year1985 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2000s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1892–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 47.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Nate (2017) | 8 Oct 2017 | 32.6 mi | TS / TD | 24 kt |
| Fay (2008) | 26 Aug 2008 | 20.7 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Ivan (2004) | 17 Sep 2004 | 13.3 mi | TS / TD | 28 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 22.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Isidore (2002) | 27 Sep 2002 | 41.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Danny (1997) | 23 Jul 1997 | 28.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Opal (1995) | 5 Oct 1995 | 21.2 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Andrew (1992) | 28 Aug 1992 | 18.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Juan (1985) | 1 Nov 1985 | 18.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Danny (1985) | 17 Aug 1985 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 7 Sep 1977 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Becky (1970) | 23 Jul 1970 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1969) | 2 Oct 1969 | 32.1 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Easy (1950) | 8 Sep 1950 | 47.0 mi | TS / TD | 21 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 11 Jul 1948 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 17 Aug 1939 | 25.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 9 Jul 1916 | 23.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 13 Jun 1906 | 3.0 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 14 Jun 1901 | 27.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1898) | 3 Oct 1898 | 10.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 13 Sep 1892 | 21.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (2020) | Post-tropical | 25 Sep 2020 | 17.7 mi | 15 kt |
| Irma (2017) | Remnant low | 12 Sep 2017 | 48.3 mi | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 17 Oct 1932 | 23.4 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 1905 | 28.8 mi | 25 kt |
Storms that came back
1 named storm in this record passed Marshall County, Alabama more than once.
- Danny — 2 passes (1985, 1997)
How Marshall County, Alabama compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Marshall County, Alabama ranks #706 — more exposed than 68.0% of them. Within Alabama it ranks #56 of 67, against a state average of 32.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Zeta (2020) passed 47 miles away on 29 October 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Opal (1995) passed 21 miles away on 5 October 1995 as a tropical storm, reaching 43 kt (49 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1892) passed 22 miles away on 13 September 1892 as a tropical storm, reaching 35 kt (40 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Juan (1985) passed 19 miles away on 1 November 1985 as a tropical storm, reaching 34 kt (39 mph) while within 50 miles.
21 of the 22 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 6.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 22 storms spread over the 134 years from 1892 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 23 years, between 1916 and 1939. It has been 5 years since the last one; 9 of the 20 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Marshall County, Alabama?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Marshall County, Alabama while at hurricane strength. 22 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1892, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Zeta (2020).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Marshall County, Alabama?
Zeta (2020), on 29 October 2020, passing 47 miles away — 6 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Marshall County, Alabama at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Marshall County, Alabama?
Zeta (2020), which reached 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 47 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Marshall County, Alabama?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 6.1 years — 22 storms over the 134 years from 1892 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Marshall County, Alabama borders or sits close to 7 other counties with a published storm record. Etowah County, Alabama has 23 on record.